Practice management

Law curtails regulator's powers, requires radical transparency

The number of high net worth individuals in the top ten U.S. metropolitan areas jumped 17.5% in 2009, the highest growth rate in the last four years, according to the Capgemini 2010 U.S. Metro Wealth Index.

Transparency seen as reviving ABS markets.

Volatile equity markets are giving many investors a reason to sit on the sidelines. But members of Tiger 21, the peer-to-peer learning group for wealthy investors, like their stock plays and are sticking to them.

High net worth investors are integrating media devices, social media and social networking into their lives more than ever before, according to a new survey from the Institute for Private Investors (IPI). Other recent studies indicate that wealth management clients are increasingly using social media to compare notes on advisors, funds, fees, strategies and deals.

A survey indicates that most favor a heavier tax on the wealthy.

Regulators want it. Investors may want it more.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has accepted settlement offers from three former officers of New Century Financial Corp., the subprime lender that was one of the first to collapse at the start of the subprime mortgage crisis.

New client relationships and the retention of existing clients helped Fortigent, LLC report its best six month period ever on Thursday.

The Securities and Exchange Commission Thursday charged Citigroup with misleading investors about its exposure to subprime mortgage-related securities.

In a sign that the economy has a long way to go, U.S. small business owners’ confidence hit its lowest point in 29 quarters, according to the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index, conducted in July.

Eleven-year veteran with the company begins new appointment immediately.

Although women controlled approximately 27%, or $20.2 trillion, of the world’s wealth in 2009, over half of women feel wealth managers could be better meeting their financial needs, according to a Boston Consulting Group global study released on Thursday.

Fidelity sees increase in “breakaway” teams going independent; others maintain that wirehouse channel is the place to be.

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

After nearly a month of delays, the Senate was expected to pass a bill late Wednesday that would create a $30 billion small-business lending fund.

Too few women have a detailed financial plan in place, according to a Prudential Financial study, something that can impact their financial security in the long run.

Advisors gather at Boston University to trade ideas on how to build a better practice.

Despite efforts by most financial services companies to get investors to use more online tools for financial planning, most affluent individuals still prefer to work one-on-one with a trusted advisor.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has begun to seek comment on the fiduciary standard of care that broker-dealers and investment advisers are to provide customers in giving advice about investing in securities.