Investment products

In the search for yield, mid-cap stocks are often overlooked as an option. But the companies often have more room to grow than large caps, and many are “appealing takeover candidates” to boot, says Esther Kwon, equity analyst with S&P Capital IQ.

An analysis by Spectrem Group found that 41% of wealthy investors surveyed said they relied primarily on their own research and analysis, while another 40% said they relied primarily on a trusted financial advisor.

Associated Banc-Corp announced yesterday that it hired Tim Henke as an associate financial consultant at its wholly owned broker-dealer Associated Investment Services.

The new product attempts to capture the potential for higher returns and offset market volatility in clients’ portfolios.

Investors regained some of their swagger Wednesday, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 78.18 points to 12,837.33 one day after recording its largest loss of the year.

The expiration of payroll tax reductions — and the possibility that nothing will be resolved in Washington this year around these and other fiscal issues — could be a drag on growth, says Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist for Janney Montgomery Scott.

Seoul, Korea-based Mirae Asset Global Investments unveiled its Global Dynamic Bond Fund, which will bet on sovereign, quasi-sovereign and corporate bonds from issuers in both emerging and developed markets, for U.S. investors.

Morningstar, Inc. has launched a new alternative investments center as part of several enhancements to MorningstarAdvisor.com, a free website that provides advisors with practice management information, investment trends, and industry insights.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 203.66 points to close at 12,759.15 Tuesday, resulting in the largest one-day decline in this calendar year.

Banks looking to boost their profits are missing the boat on a big opportunity: marketing investment and insurance products to mass-affluent households.

With investors around the globe still nervous about the potential for more stock market volatility ahead, BlackRock chief equity strategist Bob Doll notes that it’s necessary to think globally to understand where markets are headed.

Jackson National Life Insurance Company, a purveyor of variable annuities, is looking to offer its advisors and their retail clients access to alternative investments.

Russell Investments has introduced a series of indexes designed to allow fund managers to control volatility in their portfolios.

A new investment management shop has opened in Palm Beach, Fla., dubbed Crest Investment Partners LLC. The partnership is a subsidiary of Cypress Capital Group, itself a $830 million boutique trust and investment services firm.

Nasdaq OMX and risk analytics developer Axioma have launched a family of indexes that will give investors exposure to commodity spot prices, through the use of stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 14.76 points to 12,962.81 Monday as investors reacted to a flurry of mixed economic reports at home and abroad.

For many planners with high-net-worth minimums for their clients, target-date funds don’t make sense for a variety of reasons. But in the right circumstances, they can be helpful tools.

There’s a lot of investor and advisor interest in alternative investments as a means to hedge against market volatility and to diversify a portfolio (all while boosting returns). Steve Hammers, chief investment officer and portfolio manager of the Compass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund, spoke to Financial Planning about how to design and evaluate an alternatives strategy:

Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. has rolled out the Westwood Short Duration High Yield Fund, which will bet on non-investment grade debt with expected maturities of three years or less.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average trimmed 2.73 points to finish at 12,977.57 Friday while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 gave back 12.78 points and 4.46 points, respectively.