Investments

A big jump in clients’ risk appetite is why the Retirement Advisor Confidence Index climbed 2.3 points in December, reaching a five-month high of 54.

The SPDR Nuveen Barclays Build America Bond ETF proved the best choice during a record-setting year for muni exchange- traded funds. Its 20.6 % gain through Dec. 23 was highest among the 26 muni ETFs tracked by Bloomberg.

Gold advanced as prices near the lowest level in three weeks encouraged purchases. Silver jumped the most in a week and palladium rose to the highest since Dec. 12.

Mutual conversions soared this year as mutual thrift executives sought to raise capital at the behest of investment bankers and others. With many of the biggest mutuals having converted this year, there may be a drop-off in conversions in 2015.

As part of clients' retirement planning, make sure they understand terms like "sustainable withdrawal rate," as just one example; Plus, encourage clients to increase their savings rate to 15%.

Municipals delivered solid performance overall thanks to the strength of the long duration and high-yield segments.

Investors in the world’s biggest ETP backed by bullion sold the most gold in 18 months as the U.S. economic recovery cut demand for a haven.

Municipals delivered solid performance overall thanks to the strength of the long duration and high-yield segments.

The ETF industry in the U.S. has finally broken through the $2 trillion dollar milestone, demonstrating the product’s surge in popularity with investors. Through December 22nd, assets have increased 18% in 2014 from $1.698 trillion to $2.007 trillion based on positive market performance and net new assets.

The ETF industry in the U.S. has finally broken through the $2 trillion milestone, demonstrating the product’s surge in popularity with investors. Through December 22nd, assets have increased 18% in 2014 from $1.698 trillion to $2.007 trillion based on positive market performance and net new assets.

As investors pull billions out of commodities, Yale University Professor K. Geert Rouwenhorst’s funds are still attracting new money. SummerHaven Investment Management oversaw $1.5 billion as of November, from $600 million in January, even as raw-material prices fell and its exchange-traded fund declined.

F-Squared Investments agreed to pay $35 million over U.S. regulatory claims that it misled investors about the performance of a trading strategy used by exchange-traded funds.

F-Squared Investments agreed to pay $35 million over U.S. regulatory claims that it misled investors about the performance of a trading strategy used by exchange- traded funds.

The pursuit of yield has driven both advisors and investors toward newer, more complex ETFs and closed-end funds — products that use leverage, employ derivatives, deal in options and futures, sell short and so on. When such funds are held in clients’ IRAs they can generate additional problems for advisors, creating tax headaches and raising questions about investor suitability.

BlackRock, Macquarie Group and Millennium Capital Management former employees are planning a Hong Kong-based hedge fund which will use computer models to spot trading opportunities in 13 Asian stock markets.

Clients should start preparing emotionally, as well as financially, for retirement at least five years early; Plus, downsizing your home isn't always a good idea.

Oil at $50 per barrel will almost definitely create problems for banks in oil-producing regions as well as Wall Street financial institutions that finance the sector. Analysts already forecast the price of crude will fall that low — the only other question is how long it might last.

When it comes to the ability of the U.S. government to finance itself in the bond market, this year will go down as as one of the best on record -- and dealers say 2015 will be no different.

The ideal investing approach should control downside risk while also achieving a reasonable rate of growth. Here are a few suggestions.

A financial advisor helped doctors who were facing increases in their health insurance premiums by better visualizing their full options; Plus, means testing and a higher retirement age are possible fixes for Social Security.