Subject Root Tag

As the expiration of the Build America Bond program loomed last year, the market was wracked with uncertainty about just who was going to buy long-term tax-exempt bonds. Thanks to the drought of new municipal bond issuance in 2011, the market is still wondering.

Alarm bells almost always sound when a key executive leaves a bank unexpectedly. And in the absence of a good explanation, they are likely to keep on ringing.

Given Atkins' popularity on Wall Street and high profile, questions turned to how the bank would manage the transition. Wells, however, appears to be in position to ignore them.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority will begin formally examining the operations of broker-dealers this year. Here are 11 holes to plug, based on a FINRA letter to chief compliance officers on Feb. 8.

The New York-based company announced it hired Robert Glaser as part of its effort to expand in the greater Las Vegas region.

Although saving for retirement is critical for women - they live longer and make less money than men - women save 40% less than men, according to a new research study by LIMRA.

Hours after the stock exchanges in London, Toronto, Montreal and Milan said they would merge, the Deutsche Börse AG and NYSE Euronext Wednesday confirmed are trying to marry.

The London Stock Exchange Group and TMX Group of Toronto said Wednesday they would combine operations in “an all-share merger of equals.’’

Retail investors in municipals are shaken, but still standing, after a relentless barrage of negative media hype surrounding forecasts for massive municipal bankruptcies and defaults later this year.

With regulatory reform bringing a wave of changes to defined contribution plans, advisors need to be even more conversant in the ins and outs of legislative requirements and other complexities. Which is why BlackRock is beefing up its commitment to advisors who work with these retirement plans.

Advisors and regulators expect one rather odd twist for college savings plans.

Consumer Reports said that its Consumer Reports Trouble Tracker Index rose for the third straight month in a row, to 58.7. The index was 54.2 last month and 53.4 in February 2010.

In December, fixed annuity production was relatively stable but variable sales continued on their upward trajectory, recording increases each month in the fourth quarter, according to the Kehrer-Jackson Monthly Bank Annuity Sales Survey.

Forward Funds has launched the Forward Commodity Long/Short Strategy Fund, which aims to profit from both up and down movements of commodity prices.

New survey finds that small business owners are more optimistic about their economic future than they've been since early 2004.

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Panel ordered Citigroup to pay $6.4 million to a group of investors including investment banking executive D. Theodore Berghorst for municipal arbitrage trust fund losses.

Two teams from D.A. Davidson have joined Raymond James to open an independent branch office in Spokane Valley, Wash.

Barclays Wealth has added Daniel Esslinger to its team as managing director and head of Latin American relationship management and distribution, boosting the firm’s decision last year to focus on that region.

While Jobs’ ideas are applicable to broader business, upon close examination they seem tailor-made for the financial advisor in particular.

Retail investors in municipals are shaken, but still ­standing, after a relentless barrage of ­negative media hype surrounding forecasts for massive municipal ­bankruptcies and defaults later this year.