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Money market funds are welcoming the Federal Reserve’s offer to buy an estimated $1 trillion in reverse repos, as the economy continues to rebound and the government looks to reduce the $2 trillion it pumped into the capital markets.

Investors continue to stuff municipal bond mutual funds with cash, supporting bond prices even as by some measures they are nearly as expensive as they have ever been.

While sales of variable annuities declined 18% to $127 billion last year, guaranteed living benefits remained popular, with 84% of policyholders electing to buy those riders in the fourth quarter, according to LIMRA.

Capital Fulfillment Group has debuted ClickOne, a summary prospectus tool in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission rules. Using patented technologies, it is designed to offer a simple and cost-effective way for mutual fund companies to equip investors with summary prospectuses via print-on-demand. CFG estimates this will reduce asset management firms' printing costs by 80%.

AlphaOne Capital Partners, a hedge fund and alternative investments boutique founded by former Gartmore CEO Paul J. Hondros, has selected SEI to provide a complete outsourcing solution, including a full range middle- and back-office services.

America’s millionaires are bouncing back. The number of U.S. households with a net worth of $1 million or more, not including their primary residence, grew 16% to 7.8 million in 2009, up from 6.7 million the year before, Spectrem Group’s “Affluent Market Insights 2010” report shows. In 2008, the millionaire population declined 27%.

While workers’ confidence in their ability to retire and at least pay for basic expenses has rebounded since the start of the recession, Americans clearly are not setting their expectations high enough.

Guaranteed living benefits may now be synonymous with variable annuities, but unless insurers rein in costs and restore benefits, sales may continue to slide.

The company launched an FDIC-insured, high-yield online savings accounts and certificates of deposit.

The number of U.S. households with a net worth of $1 million or more, not including primary residence, increased 16% to 7.8 million last year, according to a report released Tuesday.

All-time low interest rates and tight credit could make the family bank the lender of choice for the wealthy.

“You’ve taken all my money,” gunman said

But the Regions wealth management unit refuses to roll over.

House Counsel: 28% Rate Unlikely

As the market has, indeed, rebounded nicely, Congress is likely to reinstate the RMDs this year, experts say.

Driven by the success of exchange-traded fund provider BlackRock, ETFs appear to be gaining notable market share in 401(k) plans, and while their use so far has primarily been among small companies, once the trend catches on among larger employers, ETFs’ popularity in 401(k) plans could become quite notable.

House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank urged four of the nation's top banks to adopt principal writedowns on second-lien mortgages to allow borrowers to keep their homes.

Low price-to-book values reflect doubts on accounting, risks

Registered investment advisers are thinking outside their more typical client prospecting and communications streams and product mix this year.

Driven by the success of exchange-traded fund provider BlackRock, ETFs appear to be gaining notable market share in 401(k) plans, and while their use so far has primarily been among small companies, once the trend catches on among larger employers, ETFs’ popularity in 401(k) plans could become quite notable.TheStreet.com reports.