Mutual funds

Investors would be wise to work with mutual fund managers who pay close attention to macroeconomic investment trends when the market is declining and microeconomic factors when the market is rising, according to three New York University Stern professors, Marcin Kacperczyk, Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh and Laura Veldkamp.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) launched a tough opening salvo Tuesday in the regulatory reform debate, unveiling legislation that would go well beyond other plans to redraw the financial services regulatory map.

Although target-date funds could possibly be better designed and perhaps have less disparity between their equity exposure and glidepaths, they are not to be held responsible for the current retirement shortfall many people are now facing, according to Manning & Napier. Rather, no mutual fund could adequately shield investors from the near collapse of the U.S. financial system, according to the firm.

At the National CCOutreach that the Securities and Exchange Commission is planning at its Washington headquarters on Jan. 26, the challenges faced in turbulent markets will be discussed, along with trading oversight and annual compliance reviews.

Throughout 2009, DST Systems, Inc. has celebrated 40 years of providing market-leading solutions to the mutual fund industry. In recognition of this milestone, Money Management Executive asked DST's senior leadership to identify ways investment management companies can maximize the value they deliver to their stakeholders by leveraging the strengths and resources of a service provider.

Putnam Chief Executive Officer Robert Reynolds is once again sounding the call for a new approach to 401(k) investing, inclusive of annuities and other retirement income products. This time, he is asking Washington to create a national insurance charter that will ensure consistent regulation for assured income products.

Plan sponsors are becoming more aggressive about helping their workers save for retirement, and even investment advice is now commonly offered, Hewitt Associates found in a survey of 300 mid- and large-sized companies.

Schwab Offers Commission-Free ETFs

With investors and employers alike still shaken by retirement plan losses, despite the market's rebound since March, Prudential Financial is hoping a bundled package of products inclusive of guaranteed retirement income can help it draw assets from a skeptical marketplace.

Last week's Supreme Court case has once again brought mutual fund fees to the national spotlight, but a decision by the court might not come for several months, if it comes at all. And judging from the justices' comments, they appear reluctant to get involved in the day-to-day workings of fund companies and more inclined to trust the judgment of fund boards, the purview of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the workings of the free market.

NEW YORK - A little-known provision in international financial reporting standards (IFRS) could require mutual funds to consolidate and report the financials of the companies they invest in, if they own a controlling interest across all of their individual funds.

Affiliated Managers Group has acquired a 5% stake in Value Partners Group of Hong Kong, marking AMG’s first foray into China.

Hedge fund managers tell The Wall Street Journal that the $26 billion that investors have placed in emerging markets funds, $15 billion of that through exchange-traded funds, is creating artificial valuations that could readily lead to a bubble.

T. Rowe Price announced Monday it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 26% stake in UTI Asset Management and UTI Trustee for $138 million. UTI Asset Management, which has $17.2 billion in assets under management, is the fourth-largest asset manager in India and the country’s oldest mutual fund institution.

Investor behavior has been very unusual since the market’s 70% rally began in early March, and if hundreds of billions of dollars of retail investors’ money remains on the sidelines, market volatility or even a bear market could continue, The Wall Street Journal reports.

John Hancock has launched a microsite and accompanying advertisements addressing the many looming, difficult questions near-retirees have, such as how to leave a legacy, how best to work with a financial adviser, how to repair a beaten-down portfolio and how to juggle multiple financial goals including saving for retirement, taking care of aging parents and saving for a child’s education.

FUSE Research and Momentum Partners have formed a strategic partnership to help financial services companies grow through more efficient strategies and distribution, by relying on FUSE’s strategic consulting and Momentum’s research and analysis.

The average financial adviser works closely with 14 fund companies and receives more than 100 e-mails, letters, wholesaler visits and internal sales desk calls a month from them, according to Cogent Research’s “Adviser Touchpoints 2009” report.

Fidelity Investments is offering new resources to help investors and advisers decide if converting a regular IRA to a Roth IRA makes financial sense, adding a conversion evaluator calculator to its website that takes 20 minutes or less to use: fidelity.com/rothevaluator. Fidelity also has tax professionals available by phone and at its 132 investor branches across the nation, and has just published a “Viewpoint” article on the importance of tax diversification on its website: fidelity.com/taxdiversification.

Plan sponsors are becoming more aggressive about helping their workers save for retirement, and even investment advice is now offered, Hewitt Associates found in a survey of 300 mid- and large-sized companies.