Investments

Is compensation for executive managers and top operational leaders of fund companies improving? Not necessarily, but at least they're happier with what they're getting.

American Century Investments has added Radu Gabudean to the portfolio management team, responsible for the firm’s multiple asset allocation strategies.

Hartford Funds has named Eric Levinson senior national account manager, responsible for developing and strengthening the relationships with Hartford Funds' largest broker dealer clients and coordinating relationship management with sales, marketing, product and operations.

Eagle Asset Management is making a sub-advisory change for its Eagle Capital Appreciation Fund.

The equities markets could be in for a slight correction, while there is little evidence that investors are making a “great rotation” from bond to equities investments, according to a quarterly Barclays outlook report.

Market Vectors ETF Trust has launched the Market Vectors Treasury-Hedged High Yield Bond ETF (THHY) to bet long on high-yield corporate bonds and shorting Treasury notes.

ICI Global has hired Elizabeth Todd as Director of Global Legal Affairs. Todd hails from the Financial Services Authority, where she was the Alternative Investment Funds Management Directive policy lead on the investment funds team.

U.S. exchange-traded fund assets rose $2.49 billion to $1.408 trillion in February, according to Investment Company Institute.

Are mutual fund wholesalers and advisors under-stressed and overpaid? Well, the folks at U.S. News & World Report seem to think so.

Tax-exempt money market funds reversed a recent spate of outflows -- yet gained just a scant $24.2 million -- as total net assets barely inched up to $276.65 billion in the week ended March 18, according to The Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet.com.

Investors were down on the municipal bond market for a third straight week as $261 million poured out of weekly reporting muni bond mutual funds for the week of March 20.

Are mutual fund wholesalers and advisors under-stressed and overpaid?

U.S. exchange-traded fund assets rose $2.49 billion to $1.408 trillion in February, according to Investment Company Institute.

Plan sponsors are increasingly turning to outsourced or discretionary investment solutions for their funds post the global financial crisis, according to Tim Barron, chief investment officer for consulting firm Segal Rogerscasey.

With a new survey by Legg Mason showing that U.S. investors have high hopes that equities have a bright outlook, skeptics say advisors must be cautious.

“Interest rates are having a large impact on overall annuity sales,” says Catherine Theroux, director of Public Relations at LIMRA. “For fixed annuities, people are less inclined to lock in rates at this level.”

FUSE Research is getting wise on Europe.

Financial advisors vary greatly in their approach and use of written investment policy statements with their clients, including some who don’t use these statements at all, according to Russell Investments’ latest quarterly survey of U.S. advisors.

Sentinel Investments has promoted three of its portfolio managers.

In 2012, banks sold $29.6 billion in annuities, down 20% from 2011. Fixed annuities fell 33% to $11.9 billion, while variable annuities slipped 10% to $17.7 billion.