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A majority, 63%, of middle-class Americans thinks that the U.S. is in a double-dip recession, the First Command Financial Behaviors Index shows. Fifty-percent thought the U.S. had reverted back into recession last summer.

Fifty-five percent of men focus on planning their financial health at least once a week, compared to 42% of women, a survey by Genworth found. Nonetheless, more women than men believe financial well being is critical to maintaining a balanced life.

MassMutual has made a number of enhancements to its RetireSMART target-date and lifecycle funds, most notably adding mutual fund options to its target-date series. Previously, only separately managed accounts through a group annuity contract were offered as target-date funds.

U.S. exchange-traded funds are on pace to attract at least $100 billion in inflows this year, according to State Street Global Advisors’ report, “2011 Mid Year SPDR ETF Outlook.” In the first six months of the year, ETFs saw $56.3 billion in net inflows, a 51% increase from the $37.3 billion in net inflows in the first half of last year.

Despite declines in the stock market in May and June and growing concerns over sovereign debt and the possibility of a double-dip recession, long-term funds around the world took in $350 billion in net flows in the first six months of the year, according to Strategic Insight.

Federated Investors has absorbed $100.6 million in assets from the Tributary International Equity Fund and merged them into the Federated International Leaders Fund, a fund will a similar mandate and that invests in high-quality foreign companies that appear to be undervalued.

Outflows from long-term funds totaled -$4.58 billion in the week ended July 20, the Investment Company Institute said.

Need a reason for optimism about the U.S. economy? The Hartford’s chief investment strategist for wealth management has six.

There are two gigantic economic crises weighing heavily on the minds of investors and government leaders right now: the raising of the debt ceiling and the risk to the country’s venerable AAA sovereign debt rating.

As Europe stemmed fears of contagion from Greece’s default by arranging voluntary rollovers of private bonds and the United States hammers out a deal over its debt ceiling, stocks tentatively moved up in Tuesday trading.

The Securities and Exchange Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to require large traders to register and to share more information. The rule, yet another measure in response to the Flash Crash of May 2010, will take effect in 60 days, with traders given an additional two months to begin registering.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index improved slightly in July, rising 1.9 points from the previous month to 59.5 (1985=100). As well, the Expectations Index ticked up 3.8 points to 75.4. However, the Present Situation Index decreased by 0.9 points to 35.7.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index for July inched up 2.2 points to 101.1, State Street Global Markets reported Tuesday. However, in North America, the index fell 1.3 points to 99.2.

While many asset managers continue to fail to connect meaningfully with registered investment advisors, many are turning to such digital media as micro websites, social media and mobile applications, according to a new report from Financial Research Corp., “Winning Strategies for Marketing and Distributing to the RIA.”

Advisers are more confident than they have been since January, but they are still concerned over the disconnect in the marketplace, according to The Advisor Confidence Index (ACI), a benchmark that gauges advisor views on the U.S. economy and stock market.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has a message for investors considering lesser-understood investments as an alternative to traditional fixed-income and equity investments: caveat emptor.

Vanguard Group is extending its Admiral low-cost shares to six additional domestic equity index funds, effective September. The new fees will range from 10 basis points to 21 basis points.

Nationwide Funds Group has launched the Nationwide Alternatives Allocation Fund, a passively managed mutual fund that will invest in seven alternative asset classes: global real estate, emerging market debt, emerging market stocks, commodities, TIPS, international bonds and high-yield bonds.

BNY Mellon has launched the Workbench Mobile application for the iPad.

Precidian Investments, formerly known as Next Investments, has launched the Maxis Nikkei 225 Index Fund, an exchange-traded fund that Precidian says is the first U.S-listed ETF based on the Nikkei.