Fund performance

Bloomberg -- Investment-grade corporate bonds are showing signs of life following the biggest losses since 2008 as concern wanes that a Federal Reserve pullback from record stimulus will cause a surge in interest rates.

The search for yield has been a persistent and vexing challenge for anyone charged with managing money. But what are the options? How far out the curve do you have to go to find suitable opportunities? And how do you balance your yield appetite with potential credit and duration risk?

Many wealthy business owners are increasingly confident about their finances despite the slow economic recovery. According to the latest survey from Northern Trust, half of high-net-worth business owners are feeling better off in their personal financial situation than five years ago. The number that are confident they will achieve their personal financial goals reaches 69%.

Schwab is shaking up its ETF lineup. The company announced Thursday that on Aug. 15, Schwab Investment Management would be launching six new ETFs, weighted by fundamental factors instead of traditional market capitalization.

While the use of ETFs continues to surge, their low expense ratios appear to be most prized by multi-millionaires. Spectrem Group, a Chicago-based consulting and research firm, just reported that 28% of investors own ETFs, but 47% of UHNW investors hold them. Those ultra-affluent investors, according to Spectrem, are worth $5 million to $25 million, not counting their main home.

Northern Lights Distributors, announced the upcoming launch of an educational series to provide advisors with information detailing each step of the mutual fund distribution process.

Flexible Plan Investments recently partnered (as sub-advisor) with Advisor Preferred to launch The Gold Bullion Strategy Fund (QGLDX), the industry's first gold bullion fund offered to retail investors through a mutual fund product, which began trading at $25 per share on July 8.

Fidelity Investments surveyed customers with at least $250,000 in investable assets and the outcome was positive.

Morgan Stanley and Co. has agreed to pay $100,000 to the New Jersey Bureau of Securities. This came after Bureau investigators found the company was in violation of state securities laws and regulations in its sale of non-traditional exchange-traded funds to investors.

Flexible Plan Investments recently partnered (as sub-advisor) with Advisor Preferred to launch The Gold Bullion Strategy Fund (QGLDX), the industry's first gold bullion fund offered to retail investors through a mutual fund product, which began trading at $25 per share on July 8.

Highland Capital Management had a rough ride after the 2008 crisis, logging four years of outflows from its funds. In June 2012, ING and Ivy funds alum, Brad Ross, was brought onboard as president.

LPL Financial Holdings reported the strongest quarter in the company’s nearly three years as a public company, with net revenues topping $1 billion for the first time. LPL’s board of directors also announced the company’s quarterly dividend would be raised 40% to 19 cents per share.

Earlier this month, Nuveen Asset Management revealed that its Chief Equity Strategist and Senior Portfolio Manager Bob Doll will be taking on a new slate of equity funds including traditional, specialty and alternative funds.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management has launched a new communications program designed to deliver a simplified explanation of its SmartRetirement series of target date funds. Animation and infographics support the easy-to-understand terminology.

The Federal Reserve has made it clear that short-term rates are on lockdown until the unemployment rate drops from its current 7.6% to 6.5%. That gives ammo to money managers who say "cash is trash." A federal funds rate stuck near zero means cash will continue to deliver negative real returns for some time.

Raymond James Financial launched Portfolio Management Center, a portfolio management and research tool for its employee and independent-channel advisors.

Fidelity Investments surveyed customers with at least $250,000 in investable assets and the outcome was positive.

Participants in the 2013 Bank of America Merrill Lynch CFO Outlook Mid-Year Update gave the U.S. economy an average score of 58 out of 100. This figure was up from 49 in the last survey conducted late last year. The global economy received a score of 51, up from 45.

Since 2008, investors have sought new investment strategies less affected by market downturns. At the same time, many hedge fund managers who survived the collapse with positive returns are looking to expand their offerings to the retail market. Adding budget cuts and new regulations to the mix creates a recipe for potential problems.

Jim Atkinson leads Guinness Atkinson Asset Management, which has $359 million in assets under management, a staff of 20 and an offering of eight no-load mutual funds.