Mutual funds

The fundamentals of what advisers need from wholesalers are changing, and wholesalers have no choice but to adapt. Our research at kasina concludes that wholesalers should focus on serving advisers' needs for:

The mutual fund industry should proudly celebrate Americans' 73% approval rating for 401(k)s, according to an Investment Company Institute report, "Enduring Confidence in the 401(k) System."

Morningstar Names Managers of the Decade

NEW YORK -- It's difficult to determine what something is worth if no one is buying or selling it.

The mutual fund industry should proudly celebrate Americans' 73% approval rating for 401(k)s, according to an Investment Company Institute report, "Enduring Confidence in the 401(k) System."

AXA Distributors, the annuity wholesale distribution unit of AXA Equitable, has created a comprehensive retirement income planning curriculum for financial professionals it is calling “Cracking the Code.”

Long-term mutual funds took in inflows for the 43rd straight week, netting $10.61 billion in the week ended Jan. 6, according to the Investment Company Institute. Over the past nearly 11 months, beginning at the nadir for the markets on March 9, funds have taken in a total of $427 billion.

Since its “Be on the green line” advertising and marketing campaign has resonated so well with customers, Fidelity has launched a “green line” video contest on YouTube.com that will pay $5,000 to the best video that interprets what that guidance means. Entrants are asked to give the impression that they are the “green line” in a well-produced video no longer than 90 seconds, that contains no music, that is in English and that features the Fidelity brand in a consistent manner.

Assets in exchange-traded funds around the world now surpass $1 trillion, soaring an astounding 45.2% from $710.9 billion at the end of 2008 to $1.032 trillion at the end of last year, BlackRock reported. By comparison, the return on the MSCI World Index in that timeframe was 27%, indicating that a good percentage of that growth was driven by inflows.

Financial Engines, an online 401(k) financial advisory firm aimed at individual investors, is planning a $100 million initial public offering aimed at large institutions and wealthy investors.

Wells Fargo, advisor to the Evergreen funds, is renaming the funds Wells Fargo Advantage Funds and merging and reorganizing many of the portflios. The end result will be a family of 128 mutual funds, variable trust funds and managed account shares, down from 177.

The raging bull market of the last 12 months will continue throughout 2010 but at a slower, steadier pace, giving investors reason to draw back slightly on risk, according to BlackRock’s Bob Doll, the vice chairman and global chief investment officer of fundamental equities and Curtis Arledge, managing director and co-head of U.S. fixed income portfolio management group, in their forecast for the first quarter.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has appointed five individuals to specialize in various areas of investigation and has also created an Office of Market Intelligence to compile the hundreds of thousands of tips, complaints and referrals that the SEC receives each year.

ETF Securities has launched two exchange-traded funds that are the first to be physically backed by platinum and palladium. The company already offers ETFs backed by gold and silver.

Grail Advisors, a provider of actively managed exchange-traded funds, has recruited Gary Black, the former chief executive officer of Janus, to serve as a director on its advisory board.

Institutional investors remain optimistic that the global economy and the interest rate-ridden housing market will help create “stability” and growth in the New Year, a Northern Trust Global Advisors (NTGA) survey found.

Basing the awards on superior risk-adjusted results and shareholder stewardship, Morningstar has named its Fund Managers of the Decade, bestowing the honors on PIMCO’s Bill Gross, Fairholme’s Bruce Berkowitz and Oakmark’s David Herro, respectively, for fixed income, domestic equity and international equity.

Sponsors of 401(k) plans are determined to get their plans back on track in 2010 to avoid future market pitfalls, starting by taking a hard look at investment offerings and fees, Callan Associates found in its 2010 Defined Contribution Trends Survey.

Societe Generale’s U.S. savings and investment retirement plan has selected Putnam Investments to manage its $220 million defined contribution plan.

FundQuest has selected Managed Portfolio Advisors as the overlay manager for its customizable unified managed account program.