Investments

ProShares has created a new post, head of capital markets and named Stephen Sachs to the position.

The operators of the Hong Kong Exchanges are taking steps to enter the index business, toward creating benchmarks of the performance of stocks on mainland China and in emerging markets, such as Russia, Brazil, India and South Africa.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index rose two points in November to 97.2. In North America, the index rose 4.7 points to 95.2, and in Europe, it rose 5.4 points to 101.5. In Asia, however, the index fell 4.2 points to 94.6.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – He blew right by me. On one leg.

The operators of the Hong Kong Exchanges are taking steps to enter the index business, toward creating benchmarks of the performance of stocks on mainland China and in emerging markets, such as Russia, Brazil, India and South Africa.

Fidelity Investments has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission Dec. 1 to offer a broad range of domestic and international equity and fixed income exchange-traded funds – putting to rest longtime speculations as to when, not if, Fidelity would enter the ETF market.

The Dow Jones Industrial average closed out its best week in more three years Friday essentially flat, finishing off less than one point (0.61) at 12,019.42 despite a much-better-than-expected jobs report.

Assets of the nation’s exchange-traded funds rose 10.9% in October to slightly more than $1 trillion, according to the Investment Company Institute’s latest report on ETFs. That’s up $131.4 billion, or 14.2%, from a year ago.

Here’s why it might make sense to diversify into some Asian mutual funds, according to analysts at S&P Capital IQ: While Europe’s growth will be hampered by debt turmoil in the next year, growth in Asia is expected to continue to exceed that of the United States.

It was a mixed bag for stocks Thursday as investors awaited much-anticipated non-farm payroll figures due out Friday morning, one week after the Labor Department reported an unsettling spike in jobless claims.

But most of that money went back into bond funds and hybrid funds, which took in a combined $16.3 billion for the month.

Fixed annuity sales fell 7% in the third quarter to $19 billion, according to Beacon Research’s Fixed Annuity Premium Study. For the year to date, sales fell slightly less than 1% to $58.3 billion.

November saw a solid month of new municipal bond issuance for 2011, but it paled in comparison with the same period in 2010, when Build America Bond issuance was particularly strong.

BATS Global Markets said it closed its acquisition of Chi-X Europe and now operates it as part of BATS Chi-X Europe.

Indexes have come a long way and can be effective tools for advisors, but you have to know how to use them

Three investment chiefs talk stocks, sectors and the economy.

Equity-income funds provide a buffer against extreme market volatility.

Long-term mutual funds took in $1.4 billion in the week ended Nov. 22, according to the Investment Company Institute.

Principal Funds has launched the Principal Global Multi-Strategy Fund, which will invest in alternative strategies through specialist sub-advisors to provide income, while combating inflation and market volatility.

Principal Funds has launched the Principal Global Multi-Strategy Fund, which will invest in alternative strategies through specialist sub-advisors to provide income, while combating inflation and market volatility.