Investments

UBS O’Connor, the UBS AG unit with $5.2 billion of assets, plans to open its first Asia-focused hedge fund to investors later this year, said two people with knowledge of the matter.

BNY Mellon has announced the launch of an enhanced distribution "waterfall" capability as part of its private equity fund services.

Bloomberg -- Bank of America Corp., the second- largest U.S. lender by assets, completed the merger of its Merrill Lynch & Co. subsidiary into the parent company to simplify the corporate structure.

Bloomberg -- Pimco's Bill Gross said the U.S. will avoid a “catastrophic” default on Treasury securities even if lawmakers fail to extend the debt limit on the nation’s debt.

The vast majority of Americans 25 and older with more than $200,000 in investable assets surveyed in the Allianz Life 2013 Investor Market Perceptions Study say they are seeking some form of protection from losses as they accumulate assets for retirement.

The Federal government shutdown will leave most agencies overseeing the bond market mostly operational in the near-term, but the municipal advisor rule’s implementation will be delayed and issuers are worried that Build America Bond payments might be cut off or delayed.

Pimco's Bill Gross said the U.S. will avoid a “catastrophic” default on Treasury securities even if lawmakers fail to raise the debt ceiling.

Rob Goldman founded Goldman Small Cap Research (GSCR)-not affiliated with Goldman Sachs-in 2009. He has over 20 years of investment and research experience as a senior research analyst and as a portfolio and mutual fund manager.

Bloomberg -- A partisan stalemate that partially shut down the U.S. government may lessen the appetite of lawmakers for risking a debt default later this month.

Bloomberg -- Most U.S. oversight of financial markets and institutions will continue to operate as usual during a government shutdown because most regulators are funded with independent revenue.

The vast majority of Americans ages 25+ with more than $200,000 in investable assets surveyed in the Allianz Life 2013 Investor Market Perceptions Study said they are seeking some form of protection from losses as they accumulate assets for retirement.

Bloomberg -- The Treasury Department said money managers could pose threats to the U.S. financial system when reaching for higher returns, herding into popular asset classes or amplifying price movements with leverage.

Innovation is a constant in any industry, but sometimes in the fund business its mark is not always obvious.

Investment advisor James Christy, of Northwest Financial Federal Credit Union, has Washington connections, but he's not seeking business on the Hill. He's got plenty of referrals to build a book in the suburbs.

Webster Bank is a decidedly local bank but when it comes to its investment and wealth management services, its thinking is distinctly global.

How do you convince mass-affluent clients to think more globally with their investments?

The time to lean more heavily toward domestic options has passed. Instead, experts are looking across our borders for tomorrow's opportunities.

Breathe new life into a stalled bank investment program with a few strategic fixes. One spoiler: More advisors aren't always better — look for quality instead.

As their advisor, you need to know if they need a safety net or if they can walk a tightrope when things look bleak.

Most emerging and frontier markets are in dire need of building new and beefing up existing infrastructure of every kind.