Investments

Lets just admit it. The words "indexed annuity" make advisors cringe. But is it time to give these products another look?

In May, stock and bond mutual funds, including exchange-traded funds attracted $56 billion of net inflows bringing total net intake for the first five months to about $350 billion, according to data from Strategic Insight.

At the fund family level, Vanguard Group once again led all providers with more than $11 billion in flows, according to data from Morningstar.

DCIO shops are converging this week in New York to showcase their wares and portfolio managers to advisors.

The United Services Automobile Association, first created as a means for army officers to insure their automobiles more than 91-years ago, has been taking a number of steps into retirement plan portfolios.

While liquid alternative assets grew double-digits last year within the wirehouse segment, the asset class has also seemingly hit a wall.

Within the past month, a number of mutual fund shops have embarked on branding campaigns.

The bank extended portfolio management and asset allocation services to clients with $50,000 in investable assets. The services were previously only available to trust clients.

Franklin Resources has acquired the remaining 80% stake of alternative investments specialist Pelagos Capital Management.

Within the past month, a number of mutual fund shops have embarked on branding campaigns.

RiverPark Funds is closing the RiverPark Short Term High Yield Fund (RPHIX, RPHYX) to new investors on June 21.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management's U.S. money market funds will begin disclosing their daily and weekly liquid assets online each business day as of the prior business day, effective June 18, 2013, according to the firm.

Now is a good time to buy contemporary art, even though prices have never been higher, the Dallas-based collector Howard Rachofsky says as he digests his bratwurst.

Ridgefield, Conn.-based Simple Alternatives, an alternative mutual fund shop, has added two more long/short managers to its flagship S1 Fund (SONEX), a multi-manager, long/short equity mutual fund.

MainStay Investments is looking to give its retirement business a boost by offering additional non-revenue share class (R6 Shares) for six funds, effective June 17.

Sessions at the 25th annual Morningstar Investment Conference covered a range of topics from actively managed ETFs, closed-end funds and alternatives to strategies to boost retirement income and solutions to the “yield conundrum.” Here is a baker's dozen of the smartest things we heard at the conference.

The TCW Group has added Joseph Carieri as head of U.S. institutional distribution and marketing, responsible for all marketing activities and initiatives related to the institutional investor community.

While liquid alternative assets grew double-digits last year within the wirehouse segment, the asset class has also seemingly hit a wall.

The U.S. exchange-traded funds market is primed to double up on its current $1.5 trillion in assets to the tune of more than $3.5 trillion in assets over the next five years, according to iShares’ latest forecast.

Advisors may soon see lower fees for liquid alternative asset funds – hedge fund mutual funds – thanks to the push by hedge fund managers to market these plans more aggressively into the defined contribution space, according to panelists at last week's 25th annual Morningstar Investment Conference.