Mutual funds

With Obama in office for a second term, the markets are likely to do well, the fiscal cliff will probably be resolved and Dodd-Frank and Obama's healthcare legislation are here to stay, said current and former MFS investment experts during the firm’s post-election webcast for financial advisors.

Liberty Street Advisors has launched the Capital Innovations Global Agri, Timber and Infrastructure Fund (INNAX, INNCX, INNNX), to bet on global stocks in agribusiness, timber and infrastructure.

In response to the damage and disruption inflicted by Hurricane Sandy, the Securities and Exchange Commission has confirmed that it will extend the deadline for regulatory filings for publicly traded companies, investment advisors and other regulated entities.

Total estimated outflows from long-term mutual funds were $488 million for the week ended Wednesday, October 31, according to data from the Investment Company Institute.

Pioneer Investments is expanding its sales team in the Asia Pacific region with the additions of Martin Park as a sales director in Korea, Hiromi Wada as a Japan representative and Matthew Marks as Sales Director Institutional Asia.

The Fidelity U.S. Dividend Fund is managed by James (Jim) Morrow who runs a similar fund for U.S. investors.

Pyxis Capital has launched the Pyxis iBoxx Senior Loan ETF, which the firm is touting its new offering as the only ETF to track the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid Leveraged Loan Index, a measure of the broad loan market comprised of 100 of the most liquid, tradable leveraged loans.

Newfleet Asset Management, an affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners, has named David Albrycht as president and chief investment officer.

American Century Investments has appointed Patrick Bannigan to the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective earlier this week on Nov. 5.

Global exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded products experienced inflows US$13.5 billion of net new assets in October, which is lower than the $40 billion of net inflows in September 2012, according to data from ETFGI.

Peng Chen, current chief executive officer of Dimensional Fund Advisors’ Asia (ex-Japan) subsidiaries and Chairman of Dimensional SmartNest (Dimensional Retirement), is adding another title to his resume.

Jeffrey Carney may be looking for new digs and a new gig.

Shenkman Capital Management has launched its first mutual fund: the Shenkman Short Duration High Income Fund (SCFIX and SCFAX), which will bet on a diversified portfolio of corporate bonds and other obligations issued by non-investment grade rated companies.

First came “active” management: A pension fund, endowment or foundation hired managers that it felt could get results that “outperformed” the market.

SignalPoint Capital Management has launched the SignalPoint Global Alpha Fund, the firm's first open-ended mutual fund, which is based on its separately managed account strategies.

AQR Capital Management has added two mutual funds, AQR Risk Parity II MV Fund (Class I/QRMIX) and AQR Risk Parity II HV Fund (Class I/QRHIX), to be distributed through advisors only.

In addition to the launch of its latest SRI fund, Bethesda, Md.-based Calvert Investments has also announced today the hiring of Amy Mathis as its new director of relationship management.

Forward has revamped its suite of asset allocation funds, renaming them the Forward Global Asset Allocation Series.

The Board of Directors of Kinetics Mutual Funds last month approved an overhaul of the Water Infrastructure Fund(KWINX).

Look for Calvert Investments in emerging markets investing, with the launch today of its latest socially responsible investment fund.