Mutual funds

NEW YORK -- Online retirement calculators are usually so confusing or overwhelming that the average plan participant logs in, checks their account balance and then logs off without making any changes. Putnam Investments has developed a new retirement income twist it hopes will resonate with investors, plan sponsors and financial advisers.

Bill Would Require Funds to Reveal Proxies

Bank of New York Mellon is in talks to acquire the investment servicing unit of PNC Financial Services for as much as $2.5 billion to attract hedge fund and mutual fund clients, Bloomberg reports.

Franklin Resources reported its fiscal first-quarter profit for the quarter ended Dec. 31 nearly tripled to $355.6 million, or $1.54 per share, up from the $120.9 million, or 52 cents a share, it earned in the last quarter of 2008. Analysts had expected the company to earn $1.41 per share.

The Securities and Exchange Commission last Wednesday adopted several amendments to Rule 2a-7 governing money market funds that aim to reduce risks by increasing credit quality, improving liquidity, shortening maturity limits and requiring the disclosure of a fund’s “shadow” net asset value.

Long-term mutual funds ended the week of Jan. 20 with net inflows of $13.18 billion, according to the Investment Company Institute. This brings the sales streak to 45 straight weeks totaling $454 billion.

Now that BlackRock Inc. has become the elephant in the room, the New York-based money manager plans to spend 2010 expanding internationally, developing its exchange-traded fund and defined contribution businesses.

Janus Capital Group enjoyed the benefits of the market recovery and increased demand for its fixed income funds as it posted strong profits for the fourth quarter.

After spending much of the past two years repairing its balance sheet, E-Trade Financial Corp. plans to shift its customer base from just active traders to include more long-term investors.

Despite a strong fourth quarter that saw assets under management and investment fees surge, T. Rowe Price Group Inc. still plans to follow a more conservative strategy than some its peers.

Sun Life Financial is announcing the new Sun Life Rising Star Awards program, through will it will provide more than $1 million in grants, scholarships and financial education to thousands of at-risk youth and the non-profit organizations that work on their behalf. The program recognizes high school students who are committed to furthering their education.

The Great Recession has prompted an overwhelming majority of American workers to believe it’s time for a new and improved model for workplace retirement programs, Prudential Financial found in a survey.

The Spectrem Millionaire Investor Confidence Index advanced one point in January to -9, marking the sixth straight month it has been in neutral territory. It declined six points in December.

Delaware Investments has launched the Delaware Macquarie Global Infrastructure Fund in partnership with Macquarie Capital Investment Management, sub-advisor to the fund.

The ETF Council, a new trade organization for exchange-traded funds that will focus on both marketing and lobbying, is set to launch next month.

The Securities and Exchange Commission voted 4:1 Wednesday to substantially raise the standards for the types of securities that money market funds may hold; to require them to disclose their holdings and net asset value every month; and to have 10% of their assets liquidly available for daily redemptions and 30% weekly.

Fidelity Investments confirmed Wednesday that Charles Goldman, its head of institutional platforms, is leaving the Boston fund company.

The American Institute of CPAs is offering a CPA-oriented guide on Roth IRA conversions now that the old $100,000 income limit for converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA no longer applies.

NEW YORK—Putnam Investments unveiled a new website for its 401(k) plans Monday that keys investors into a monthly retirement income figure, rather than their existing balance or a retirement savings target.

New York Life Insurance has secured the rights as the presenting sponsor of the 2010 Big East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. The men’s championship is taking place March 9-13 at Madison Square Garden, and the women’s games will be held March 5-9 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.