Investments

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.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index surged 15.1 points in November to 56.0, up from 40.9.

NYSE Euronext, in partnership with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is launching three "clean energy" stock indexes. The three indexes will be focused on performance of clean energy firms around the globe. The intent is to track public companies "most active in the world's historic shift to low-carbon energy."

"Frank's loss will be felt by generations of Goldman Sachs professionals," Lloyd C. Blankfein, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, said.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index rose 2 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.

NYSE Euronext, in partnership with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is launching three “clean energy” stock indexes. The three indexes will be focused on performance of clean energy firms around the globe. The intent is to track public companies “most active in the world's historic shift to low-carbon energy.’’

Instinet said it is giving its institutional customers the ability to electronically cast votes on which brokers provide the best research on possible investments.

Wealth accumulation is taking a back seat to another important investor goal: having guaranteed retirement income.

An industry group has asked regulators to disclose the factors they will use to determine which muni broker-dealers pose more risks and should undergo compliance examinations more often under a new proposed exam program.

Strategic Insight parent Asset International has completed its anticipated acquisition of certain FRC products and says it will make "significant investments to strengthen, enhance and expand acquired FRC products."