Investments

Boston Advisors on Monday launched the Broad Allocation Strategy Fund, based on a separately managed account strategy the investment advisor has run for the past two years.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board plans to seek public comment on a series of new rules and interpretive guidance in the next four to six weeks, most of which stem from its new oversight of muni advisors

Investors established a new record for withdrawals from municipal bond mutual funds in the week ended Jan. 19 as headline risk continued to chase people from state and local government debt funds.

Investors in tax-exempt debt should be cautious about heeding recent reports about the possibility of widespread bankruptcy and default in the municipal market, and stop running away from solid, safe investments because of distorted opinions in the media. That was the advice from top portfolio managers and traders at DWS Investments. Phil Condon, head of muni portfolio management. and Ashton Goodfield, head of trading, recognized the financial hurdles faced by local governments, but stressed that because of the fundamental changes in the municipal landscape, the muni market should not be considered as "homogenous" as it once was. But for analysts to "sensationalize the stress that municipalities are under" sends the wrong message to investors.

Municipal bond mutual fund outflows moderated last week as a nervous market seemed better able to absorb the relentless fund selling.

Climbing the wall of expiring bank guarantees on municipal debt in the coming months may not turn out to be as daunting as anticipated.

T. Rowe Price Group announced better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings on Friday as assets under management soared on inflows, particularly to target-date retirement portfolios.

Vanguard on Friday launched the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF, which tracks the MSCI All Country World ex-USA Investable Market Index.

The funds joins the SPDR family and bring the total number of offerings to 96.

From big-ticket spending to long-term planning for their futures, American investors are taking a more conservative approach to handling their money, according to industry professionals.

State Street Global Advisors on Thursday has launched three new SPDR exchange-traded funds: the SPDR S&P Transportation ETF, the SPDR S&P Telecom ETF and the SPDR S&P Healthcare Equipment ETF.

Morningstar’s ETF expert, Scott Burns, sees a long-term shift to passive investing, but “managed solutions” packaging ETFs will also grow rapidly.

New hedge-fund like vehicle will trade frequently

The herd is moving in one direction again, and I’m getting offers from experts to talk about the joyous event.

To calm frightened investors pulling out of muni-bond funds, Vanguard, which manages $115 billion in municipal bonds, has been tweeting excerpts from a new research commentary "California is Not Greece."

Five other world-class asset managers, including PIMCO and Wellington, are sub-advising the fund along with Hancock.

Investors in tax-exempt debt should be cautious about heeding recent reports about the possibility of widespread bankruptcy and default in the municipal market, and stop running away from solid, safe investments because of distorted opinions in the media.

John Hancock Funds announced on Tuesday its new John Hancock Alternative Asset Allocation Fund, a multi-managed fund that John Hancock will manage along with five other leading asset management firms: PIMCO, Wellington Management, Dimensional Fund Advisors, Stone Harbor, Deutsche Asset Management and First Quadrant.

Although the economic recovery is relatively slower in the U.S. than abroad, U.S. CEOs’ outlook has improved considerably, a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers finds.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index increased in January to 60.6, up from 53.3 in December.