Investments

When it comes to sector exchange-traded funds, know what you're buying.

Laurence D. Fink used at least half a dozen acquisitions to expand BlackRock Inc. from a boutique bond shop to the world’s biggest money manager. Now the firm, which invests $3.7 trillion for clients around the world, faces a new challenge: Growing on its own.

The biggest June rally for global stocks since 1999 is handing equity investors the year’s top returns, beating the dollar, bonds and commodities.

When it comes to sector exchange-traded funds, know what you're buying.

Investors poured $12.84 billion into exchange-traded funds and notes during the month of June, bringing total half-year inflows to $75.91 billion, up 31% from a year ago.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied up 72.43 points in abbreviated holiday trading Tuesday to close at 12,943.82 while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 gained 24.85 points and 5.30 points, respectively.

William Blair & Company has turned off the spigot on the William Blair International Growth Fund and Institutional International Growth Fund, effective June 30.

On July 3, 2012, Last month, the Board of Trustees of John Hancock Funds II - International Opportunities Fund approved Invesco Advisers, Inc. as the new subadviser effective July 20, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

On July 3, 2012, Boston-based MFS Investment Management is looking to beef up its internal sales team in light of its recent rebranding efforts, according to Jim Jessee, president at MFS Fund Distributors, Inc., the distribution arm of the firm’s U.S. fund business.

Bank holding companies raked in $118.4 billion in wealth management income in 2011, up 1.35% from $116.9 billion in 2010. The increase comes despite a lackluster fourth quarter, the industry’s weakest since the beginning of 2009.

A mutual fund prospectus says its manager has more than ten years of experience. The manager has achieved a 10% average annual return, it also says.

In the span of 12 months, the Active Bear Exchange-Traded Fund (HDGE) has become a wirehouse darling.

In the first six months of 2012 the bank handled 242 issues and $26.1 billion in par value, giving it a 13.6% share of the new issue municipal bond market by par value.

Bill Gross’ $260.9 billion Pimco Total Return Fund (PTTRX) saw inflows of some $1.36 billion last month, bringing the fund’s assets to $5.9 billion through June 30, Dow Jones reports, citing data from Morningstar Inc.

In the span of 12 months, the Active Bear Exchange-Traded Fund (HDGE) has become a wirehouse darling.

A mutual fund prospectus says its manager has more than ten years of experience. The manager has achieved a 10% average annual return, it also says.

The Dow Jones Industrial lost 8.70 points Monday to close at 12,871.39 while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq added 3.35 points and 16.18 points, respectively.

On July 2, 2012, Durango, CO-based Swan Capital management making its foray into the mutual fund space with the debut of its maiden fund, dubbed the Swan Defined Risk Fund, according to a Securities and Exchange filing.

On July 2, 2012, Think the deadline for nominating your favorite InNOVAtor has come and gone? Well, think again.

On July 2, 2012, Denver-based Janus Capital International has opened an office in Paris, its sixth office in Europe, Investment Europe reports.