Investments

ProShares has launched the first ETFs in the United States to provide magnified or inverse exposure to VIX futures.

ProShares has launched the first ETFs in the United States to provide magnified or inverse exposure to VIX futures.

Litman Gregory Fund Advisors has launched the Litman Gregory Masters Alternative Strategies Fund, a multi-manager, multi-strategy fund that offers investors diversified exposure to absolute return-oriented strategies.

Russell Investments has launched four additional investment discipline exchange-traded funds, the new offerings focused on small-cap indexes. Russell’s investment discipline indexes take indexing to the next level by aiming to mirror the way equity managers invest.

Brown Advisory has launched the Brown Advisory Tactical Bond Fund, a fund focused on total return that, using a quantitative modeling process to track macro movements in bond sectors, will invest in fixed income—including tax-exempt municipal bonds, corporate bonds, U.S. Treasury bonds, Treasury inflation protected securities and cash equivalents.

On the heels of the success of its Keeley Small Cap Dividend Value Fund, Keeley Asset Management has launched the Keeley Mid Cap Dividend Fund.

The John Hancock Investor Sentiment Index, based on a survey of 1,005 investors by Matthew Greenwald & Associates, fell to 10 in the third quarter, down from 18 in the second quarter. When John Hancock launched the index in the first quarter of this year, the reading was 22. To participate in the survey, respondents needed household income of at least $75,000 and assets of $100,000.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has issued an alert to make auditors more aware of the risks they face when auditing companies with operations in emerging markets such as China.

The TCW Group has launched the MetWest Unconstrained Bond Fund, a mutual fund with the flexibility to invest across a wide array of global fixed-income sectors.

Touchstone Investments and Old Mutual Asset Management have entered into an agreement whereby Touchstone will acquire the U.S. mutual fund business of Old Mutual, bringing Touchstone’s assets to nearly $10 billion. The deal will also add several new sub-advisors to Touchstone’s roster of fund managers.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 153.41 points to 10,808.71. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index rose 2.69%.

Financial advisors are in huge demand among insurance companies that create the broad array of insured retirement income products. But if product creators want to succeed with that group, they need to get a few ground rules clear, a panel of financial advisors said during the Insured Retirement Institute’s annual conference on Tuesday.

The TCW Group has launched the MetWest Unconstrained Bond Fund, a mutual fund with the flexibility to invest across a wide array of global fixed income sectors.

BOSTON -- Top economists who spoke here at the Insured Retirement Institute annual conference told attendees to brace for fundamental paradigm shifts as they wait for global and domestic economies to stabilize.

Putnam Investments has launched the Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund, a ’40 Act mutual fund that uses the “risk parity” approach of its successful Putnam Total Return portfolio for institutional investors, which has delivered average annual returns of 9% since inception five years ago.

Loomis Sayles rolled out the Loomis Sayles Senior Floating Rate and Fixed Income Fund, aimed at navigating changing economic cycles by taking a flexible approach to investing in bank loans and other credit instruments.

Eaton Vance and Richard Bernstein Advisors have launched the Eaton Vance Richard Bernstein All Asset Strategy Fund, with Richard Bernstein, CEO and CIO of the eponymous firm serving as manager of the fund.

HSBC Global Asset Management has launched the HSBC Frontier Markets Fund, whose aim is long-term capital appreciation by investing in companies located in or economically tied to frontier market countries.

DoubleLine Funds Trust has launched the DoubleLine Low Duration Bond Fund.

Financial advisors are going play a bigger role in how the annuity industry gets it products to customers, according to industry officials presenting at the Insured Retirement Institute's 2011 annual conference. But consumers will be leading the charge.