Investments

ProFunds Group has launched eight exchange-traded funds that are three times long or three times short five of the most traded broad U.S. market indexes: the Nasdaq 100, Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P MidCap 400 and Russell 2000. Last year, ProShares Advisors, advisor to the funds, launched plus and minus 3x exposure to the S&P 500.

Commodities, particularly precious metals funds, have been big sellers in recent months, but their good fortune reversed in January, when seven of the worst-performing mutual funds turned out to be concentrated on mining stocks.

While many providers jumped off the variable annuity bandwagon, Sun Life has decided to increase sales.

Investors poured money into long-term mutual funds for the 47th straight week, taking in $7.07 billion in the week ended Feb. 3, the Investment Company Institute said. Sales in the period, now nearing a year, now total $470 billion.

FaithShares Advisors believes investors can have faith and strong financial performance. And now the firm has the initial returns from its Christian exchange-traded funds to prove it.

The financial crisis has made a permanent impression on American consumers, who are likely to save 6% or more of their income over the next decade, translating to as much as $800 billion stashed away each year, according to a new study by Allianz Group.

MetLife Inc. plans to pay American International Group Inc. $8 billion in stock and the remainder in cash for American Life Insurance Co., as the two sides negotiate what could be a roughly $15 billion deal, reports Marketwatch.

WASHINGTON — With the economy showing signs of recovery, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke gave more clues Wednesday to how the central bank will return to normal and made clear that financial institutions are central to his plans. Federal Reserve Board, Ben Bernanke, House Financial Services Committee, Rajeev Dhawan, Economic Forecasting Center

Three months after stepping down as the chief executive of Royal Bank of Canada's U.S. operations, Scott Custer is gearing up to build a new bank spanning the Carolinas and Virginia.

Bank of America Corp. expects “significant” growth in 401(k) assets this year, but analysts are skeptical about where and how the banking company can expect to generate new business.

Total assets in the U.S. exchange-traded funds fell 5.8%, or $45 billion in January from a month earlier, according to monthly data from State Street Corp.

Affiliated Managers Group has reached an agreement with Russell Investments to acquire Russell subsidiary Pantheon Ventures for $775 million, with the potential for additional payments over the next five years, contingent on Pantheon’s growth.

The financial crisis has made a permanent impression on American consumers, who are likely to save 6% or more of their income over the next decade, translating to as much as $800 billion stashed away each year, according to a new study by Allianz Group.

Mutual fund investors in a class-action lawsuit against five mutual fund companies that permitted market timing said they will appeal their case, in which they seek $500 million to $600 million additional compensation above the $205 million restitution they got in settlements with the Ontario Securities Commission.

ETF Securities has registered another precious metals exchange-traded fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the ETFS Precious Metals Basket Trust.

Total assets in the U.S. ETF industry fell 5.8% in January from a month earlier.

They will have a minimum investment threshold of $25,000 and offer a wide range of investment styles from conservative to aggressive growth.

Borthwick and Carnoy to share responsibilities; Hume-Kendall named chairman of group

WASHINGTON — The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s net assets fell to $26.39 million for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009, down $1.65 million from the previous year as new underwriting assessment fees fell dramatically, according to an audited financial statement and annual report expected to be released by the board today.

WASHINGTON — A draft version of a Senate jobs bill widely circulated Tuesday included provisions that would allow several tax-credit bonds to be treated like Build America Bonds through the end of 2010, with issuers receiving a direct subsidy payment from the federal government instead of providing investors with a tax credit.