Didn't log on to Mfmarketnews.com last week? Here are some Web exclusives you missed:
* Lipper will begin offering mutual fund ratings to retail investors and advisors through a new Web site, LipperLeaders.com,s starting Oct. 5, said Robin Thurston, director of research for the firm. The new ratings will rate funds on two primary objectives: Return consistency and preservation of capital.
* In an effort to ward market timers from its yet-to-be-released Avanti Fund, American Century Investments will give only stock to investors who cash out of the product without first giving 15-days notice. Investors in the fund must notify the company 15 days before they redeem their shares. Otherwise, they will receive stock from the Avanti portfolio. "That 15 days will scare market timers away," said Chris Doyle a company spokesman. "If you're a buy-and-hold investor and you're going to give it 10 years, 15 days is not going to mean anything to you. The idea is to attract an investor with a different mindset."
* In the latest in a series of changes to E*Trade's line up of proprietary index funds, the firm is seeking to convert its Bond Index Fund to active management, according to company filings. In the past couple of months, the online broker has sought shareholder approval to merge two of its proprietary index funds as well as liquidate two others. Currently, E*Trade's Bond Index Fund tracks the Lehman Brothers Corporate/Government Bond Index. Because the fund would become actively managed, the company is recommending that the advisory fee be increased from 0.10% of the fund's daily net assets to 0.25%. E*Trade is also proposing to raise the minimum initial investment to $2,500 from $1,000 as well as raise the minimum IRA contribution from $250 to $1000.
* Investors who use one of two popular software titles to manage their finances on their personal computers will now be able to download their mutual fund account information via AIM Management Group's Web site. The company announced that investors can now plug mutual fund data into either Quicken 2000 or Microsoft Money 2000 after logging onto aim.com. Users must first login with an account number and Social Security or Tax ID numbers, the company said.
