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Even as market uncertainty persists, employees using Bank of America Merrill Lynch's automatic 401(k) savings plans are showing they want to stay the course when it comes to positive savings behavior, according to the firm's latest quarterly data.

Index funds are “just slightly underperforming” their benchmarks because of their small expenses, according to a Lipper report.

New tools to help bank advisors are getting top billing at LPL Financial's annual Focus Conference. But a key new hire to help in those efforts may not be announced officially until the three-day conference is over.

Marvin Tuttle, the current exec director/CEO, had planned to retire in 2014 but moved up his exit due to family concerns. Schadle, who has been with the FPA and a predecessor group, the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP), since 1996, assumed her current post in 2006.

The growing complexity of investing has created challenges for investors and financial advisors alike. Saxon Sorrentino of Fiserv says the best way to enhance productivity is to improve and integrate technology.

When Irvine, Calif.-based planner Winnie Sun jumped from Smith Barney to LPL Financial about 18 months ago, a major factor driving the move was her new firm's support of social media.

Columbia Management is planning to further expand into the actively managed ETF space with 17 new ETFs.

Russell Investments is planning to close its family of 25 passively managed ETFs. The firm will continue to operate the Russell Equity ETF.

The tax-exempt market ended on a steady tone Monday as market participant waited for primary issuance to provide direction.

In a surprise move, incoming National Association of Personal Financial Advisors Chairman, Ron Rhoades, said that because of a compliance violation by his firm he will not be assuming the helm of the advocacy group on September 1 as anticipated.

Proving that it is still in the competition for top advisory talent, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney has tapped competing firms to add nine new financial advisors with more than $1.22 billion in client assets under management to its forces.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shaved off 3.56 points Monday to close at 13,271.64 while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 trimmed 0.38 points and 0.03 points, respectively.

Merrill Lynch has hired a two-member advisor team who previously managed more than $1 billion at Wells Fargo's Abbot Downing business.

Russell Investments is planning to close its family of 25 passively managed ETFs. Russell will continue to operate the Russell Equity ETF.

Annuity sales in the second quarter of 2012 totaled $57 billion, down 8% from the year-ago quarter, according to LIMRA.

The nuances of advising widows and divorcees require a more tailored approach to investment planning.

Nasdaq OMX Group said it plans to launch 150,000 indexes by the end of next year. The firm will raise redefine 'real-time" to feature tick by tick updating of index values

Incapital, an underwriter of fixed income securities and financial products, has launched Incapital Canada.

JHS Capital Advisors, a Tampa, Fla., based registered securities broker-dealer and registered investment advisor, continued its national expansion when it announced Monday it hired Steven R. Lofquist as a first vice president and a financial advisor.

Year-to-date, total annuity sales declined eight percent compared to the first half of 2011, reaching $57.0 billion, according to LIMRA.