Special Program Root Tag

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has widened its ongoing auction rate securities (ARS) probe with a sweep letter aimed primarily at sellers, rather than lead managers, of the illiquid instruments.

New York A.G. Probing Fidelity, Goldman Links

MINNEAPOLIS - Sen. John McCain is the better choice for the financial services industry not for what he would do as president, but rather for what he would refrain from doing, GOP lawmakers said here this week during the Republican National Convention.

An obscure book about mutual funds has begun to arouse the ire of the industry.

With the oncoming wave of Baby Boomers about to strain Social Security, Medicare, long-term care and families, mutual fund fees are going to continue to be in the crosshairs of class-action litigants, 401(k) plan sponsors, retail investors, regulators, legislators and even the courts.

AUSTIN, Texas - Making sure your company's 403(b) retirement plan is in compliance by Jan. 1, 2009 can be a daunting task, especially if you haven't gotten started yet.

AUSTIN, Texas - New 403(b) regulations are coming, whether or not plan sponsors and vendors are ready for the changes.

In another sign of the difficulties facing the financial services industry, Camulos Capital has told its investors that if they keep nearly $2 billion with the $2.5 billion hedge fund for the next year, the fund will reduce its fee by 75 basis points to 1.25%, The Wall Street Journal reports. And if the fund makes money between Oct. 1 and the end of 2010, it will reduce its share of profits to 10%, rather than the standard 20%.

Bob Tuszynski has joined UMB Fund Services as senior vice president and director of distribution services. One of his key responsibilities is to market “Total Distribution,” which helps fund companies pinpoint their most profitable sales intermediaries through customer relationship management. UMB also offers other marketing and sales distribution support services.

Although Roth 401(k) features became effective Jan. 1, 2006, few employers immediately implemented them, since they were new and recordkeepers were still developing systems to accommodate the new feature.

The unified managed account (UMA) market’s rapid growth will not continue without greater standardization and automation, says a Dover Financial Research report issued Wednesday and commissioned by Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. (DTCC).

Evergreen Investments of Boston, Wachovia Corp.'s asset management arm, announced Sept. 4 that it has closed its family of fund of funds.

By increasing the number of alternative products and strategies it offers, Mellon Capital Management Corp. has generated inflows in the past three years, despite difficult market conditions.

PIMCO has named Mohamed El-Erian chief executive officer, a position he currently shares as co-CEO with Bill Thompson, who will be retiring at the end of the year.

Pioneer Investments has selected Brian E. Stack as manager of the Pioneer Growth Opportunities Fund. A 21-year veteran of the mutual fund industry, Stack has specialized in small- and mid-cap growth.

The number of affluent households in the United States has decreased, according to initial research from the annual Affluent Market Research Program by TNS, a marketing company based in New York.

Currency hedge funds reported an 0.11% loss in July, according to the Parker FX Index.

Fees have become the top reason that retirement plan sponsors switch providers, according to Spectrem Group.

Pacific Investment Management Co. will add an actively managed bond exchange-traded fund to its current ETF lineup, and perhaps other types of active ETFs, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The SPARK Institute has created a document for 403(b) vendors and plans sponsors that outlines technological best practices related to information sharing.