Active management

Fresh doubts about whether star managers can deliver consistently superior returns have been raised following Bill Gross’ retirement.

Money managers would be better off selling holdings at random, a study suggests.

A record 186 funds were shuttered last year. What does this mean for the future of the industry?

Beyond U.S. equities, the power balance tilted broadly to index funds in 2018.

One uses a factor lens for a twist on the AGG and the other focuses exclusively on investment-grade credit.

The firm anticipates the change will save its 1.5 million Admiral Shares clients roughly $71 million.

The development of new products, technology and the increasing prominence of ESG are top-of-mind among industry executives.

About 30% of fund manager appointments in the firm’s equity unit have gone to women in 2018, the most in five years.

Investors have grown cautious following October’s rout in global markets.

New actively managed municipal bond ETFs from the firm have attracted $50 million in assets since their inception in October.

“It’s hard to outrun secular risk,” says T. Rowe Price CIO David Giroux.

High-fee managed futures, energy limited partnerships and multi-alternatives products topped this list.

Factors including low interest rates may have contributed to success.

The deal is the latest consolidation in the industry, which is experiencing pressure on revenues as investors flock to low-fee, passive index and ETFs.

For younger investors, the current experience of "finding and investing in a mutual fund feels very broken," says co-founder of the investing app startup.

The net outflows are staggering, but recent studies show the relationship is far more nuanced.

The S&P index of 18 asset management firms and custody banks is down nearly 11% this year, compared with a gain of more than 8% for the broad S&P 500.

The active versus passive debate rages on — but one fund type wins when it comes to tax-loss harvesting.

Just 36% of actively managed stock funds topped indexes in the year through June, down from 43% in 2017, according to Morningstar.

These expense ratios were closer to the average fund fee in 1996.