Mutual funds

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has hired David Tyrie, formerly with Putnam Investments, as head of personal retirement services. He will report directly to Andy Sieg, head of retirement and philanthropic services division.

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Buoyed by the strength of the long-term municipal market over the past 18 months, mutual fund assets have climbed to record levels, and portfolio managers have had little need to make major changes to their current investment strategies.

High yield bond funds took in nearly $1 billion for the week ending July 28 for the third largest weekly inflow of the year, according to a report published by Lipper FMI.

Janus, a fund shop known for nurturing growth-fund talent, turned to its value-oriented subsidiary, Perkins Investment Management, to co-manage a new fund targeted to risk-averse retiring Baby Boomers.

Janus, a fund shop known for nurturing growth-fund talent, turned to its value-oriented subsidiary, Perkins Investment Management, to co-manage a new fund targeted to risk-averse retiring baby boomers.

Now that Congress has passed the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010, more commonly known as the Dodd-Frank bill, it is useful to stand back and assess what Congress did and did not do in this legislation. As with most contested legislation, it is not as extensive as some had hoped and, naturally, it is deemed excessively burdensome by others. But in the quiet period following final passage, we can now separate the likely impact of the bill from the rhetoric and evaluate it in a dispassionate light.

Investors increasingly opt in to automatic investment accounts like target-date funds.

State Street Global Markets Wednesday unveiled seven new indexes designed to help institutional investors map out hidden market opportunities.

Buoyed by the strength of the long-term municipal market over the past 18 months, mutual fund assets have climbed to record levels, and portfolio managers have had little need to make major changes to their current investment strategies.

Buoyed by the strength of the long-term municipal market over the past 18 months, mutual fund assets have climbed to record levels, and portfolio managers have had little need to make major changes to their current investment strategies.

With gold seen as the place to be, BlackRock introduces its first gold mutual fund in the U.S., and shaves its gold ETF fees from 40 BPS to 25.

Van Eck Global Friday launched the Market Vectors Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF, trading on NYSE Arca under the ticker EMLC. The fund closed at $25.45 for the day.

The Baltimore-based money manager reported that its profits increased to $158.5 million, or 59 cents per share, and net revenue rose 30.6% to $577.4 million.

The Securities and Exchange Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to propose limits on mutual fund distribution fees and provide more transparency for investors.

The AARP Financial mutual funds will cease to exist as of Oct. 1, less than three years after launching the funds to much fanfare.

The AARP Financial mutual funds will cease to exist as of Oct. 1, less than three years after launching the funds to much fanfare.

Two new Standard & Poor’s indexes tracking municipal bonds launched yesterday, paving the way for Vanguard to enter the municipal exchange-traded fund business.

Two new Standard & Poor’s indexes tracking municipal bonds launched yesterday, paving the way for Vanguard to enter the municipal exchange-traded fund business.

Every time you think you've got a handle on how to manage and benchmark the performance of the funds you invest, markets blow up and you have to start all over again.