Investments

But investors redeem $1.9 billion from equity funds.

The “magic” 5% tax-free yield is ­sustaining strong demand from retail investors.

Putnam Investments is the inaugural recipient of the Innovation and Growth Forum’s Innovation Award for its suite of absolute return funds. The Forum was launched by Financial Advisor Magazine and Spectrem Group to help asset management firms with their post-economic crisis strategies.

The company has seven equal-weight ETFs, six of which have been launched since December.

Investment firms sparred with regulators during a Securities and Exchange Commission roundtable over the potential risk money market funds could pose to the financial system.

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Global X Funds has launched the Global X Fishing Industry ETF, which it says is the first exchange-traded fund to target the fishing industry. It will invest in commercial fishing companies that capture fish from the wild and aquaculture fish farming companies.

Global X Funds has launched the Global X Mexico Small-Cap ETF, which it says is the first exchange-traded fund to focus on Mexico’s small-cap companies.

The Investment Company Institute held its annual meeting of its membership in Washington, D.C. last week. Close enough to Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters that chairman Mary L. Schapiro could swing by and let the assemblage know that existing mutual fund distribution rules "can't be left to stand."

The total value of U.S. exchange traded funds 5.7% from a month earlier to $60.5 billion in April bringing the total value of ETF investments to more than $1.12 trillion, according to State Street Global Advisors.

Tradar said its portfolio and order management software will become available as a hosted service for fund managers, through Eze Castle Integration.

These days there seems to be a lot of information available to nervous retail investors about the municipal bond market. Maybe even too much.

Markit and Deutsche Bank said they are providing financial research through a single application for iPad users.

Tradar said its portfolio management software will become available as a hosted service for fund managers, through Eze Castle Integration.

Morningstar has added 10 alternative investment categories to its classification system, eight of which cover exchange-traded funds and two the broad universe of funds.

Forward Management has relaunched the Forward International Fixed Income Fund as the Forward EM Corporate Debt Fund. SW Asset Management, an asset management firm that specializes in emerging corporate debt, will sub-advise the fund. David Hinman, chief investment officer of SW Asset Management, will serve as co-portfolio manager of the fund.

Aberdeen Asset Management has launched the Aberdeen Emerging Markets Debt Local Currency Fund in response to growing interest in the asset class, as investors look to diversify their fixed income exposure.

Fidelity’s division for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and family offices, served by independent registered investment advisors, has nearly $2 billion in assets after only six months in service.

Willie Keeler and Robert Frost knew the importance of “hitting ‘em where they ain’t and A Road Not Taken—Will your clients embrace the same ideas?

There's a new world order coming in mutual funds. And a new form of wholesaler - colloquially called a "schmeek" - will be helping financial advisers understand its new complexity and sell a constantly evolving kaleidoscope of new products to individual investors.