Fund performance

The pause in the increase in gas prices and a sense that the job market is improving help lift the RBC Consumer Outlook Index 3.8 points to 46.7 in June, up from 42.9 in May. This is the highest level it has ever been at since the financial crisis struck in September 2008.

A vast majority, 86%, of the 800 institutional investors and corporate executives surveyed for BNY Mellon believe there are significant opportunities for stock market growth. However, 58% think there are major downside risks preventing them from taking advantage of those opportunities, the survey, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, found.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index rose 6.8 point in May to 104.1, its highest reading since December. The increase was led by North American investors, among whom confidence rose 7.7 points to 106.3 from 98.6 in April. European investor confidence rose 5.2 points to 79.0 from 73.8. However, Asian investor confidence fell 2.7 points to 96.7 from 99.4.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to -48.2 in the week ended May 22, up from a nine-month low of -49.4 the previous week. Readings of -40 or less are associated with recessions and their aftermaths, Bloomberg said.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index fell to -49.4 in the week ended May 15, a nine-month low reflecting a pessimistic outlook among consumers as the cost of fuel and groceries continues to increase.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. ticked down by 0.3% in April to 114.0 (2004 = 100), following a 0.7% increase in March and a 0.9% increase in February.

LAS VEGAS - Could the United States be headed for another Great Depression?

LAS VEGAS - The federal budget deficit is estimated to skyrocket to $1.6 trillion in 2011, but Andrew H. Friedman of The Washington Update told a standing-room only crowd at the Investment Management Consultants Association's annual conference that there are still opportunities for investors.While the substantial deficit is here to stay, the $2 trillion in stimulus that has flooded the economy has made for huge growth in the stock market, Friedman explained. “We need to be careful what happens when the stimulus stops,” he added.

Global investors have tempered their optimism about the U.S. and world economies and plan to put less of their money in commodities and more into cash, a quarterly poll of 1,263 investors, analysts and traders who are Bloomberg subscribers found.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index fell to -46.9 in the week ended May 8, as rising gas prices are making Americans worried about their personal finances. This was the index’s worst reading since March, Bloomberg said. The comfort index’s range is from -100 to +100.

BOSTON - In today’s turbulent world, there will be plenty of investment opportunities, but also plenty of risk.

Market research firm TNS’ Investor Confidence Index, based on an early April survey of 1,551 adults with investable assets of $500,000 or more on their expectations for the next six months, declined to 113 from 119 in January.

Trust in the U.S. financial system has fallen to 20%in March from 26% in December, as measured by the Chicago Booth/Kellogg School Financial Trust Index, which surveyed 1,007 adults to obtain the reading.

The next several years will be a challenging period for investment advisors as investors, mindful of projections of low market returns, seek managers who can deliver results while protecting them from excessive risk.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. debt, $9.5 trillion in 2010, could reach $25.9 trillion by 2021 if not kept in check. This was the warning of Erskine B. Bowles, former White House chief of staff, and Alan K. Simpson, former Senator from Wyoming, who are co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, speaking at the Investment Company Institute’s General Membership Meeting here Friday.

WASHINGTON—Stocks will return between 8% and 9% over the next three to five years, predicted Eddie C. Brown, president and CEO of Brown Capital Management, speaking on the “Industry Investments: Experience Talks” panel at the Investment Company Institute’s General Membership Meeting Thursday morning.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. economy, while not poised to grow as rapidly as emerging nations and saddled with a $1.4 trillion a year deficit, has the fundamentals in place and “the resiliency and strength” to reclaim its position as the leading economy of the world, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told attendees at the Investment Company Institute’s General Membership Meeting here Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve’s ultra-easy monetary policy has been a major cause of rising corporate profits and a broader recovery, says Black Rock Chief Equity Strategist Bob Doll. The Fed has also helped bring about the decline in the dollar, boosting exports.

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- The United States' economy has "in absolute and relative terms been a better bet" than other economies around the globe -- and the death of Osama Bin Laden may well change how the rest of the world looks at America's prospects, CNBC Analyst and Commentator Ron Insana said Monday morning.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index increased slightly in April to 65.4, up from 63.8 in March (1985 = 100). The Present Situation Index also increased, to 39.6 from 37.5, and the Expectations Index rose as well, to 82.6 from 81.3.