The Markets
Ford Brings Back the 401(k) Match
Ford Motor Co. will reinstate its 401(k) match in 2010, according to a company announcement.
Investors Turned to Specialized/Boutique Fund Firms for Results
In a background of lingering uncertainty for investors, many mutual fund managers have continued to attract significant inflows to their stock and bond funds in 2009.
Bond Fund Rush Could be Slowing
While November’s mutual fund inflow to fixed income still added up to $33 billion, that was down from the $40 billion pumped into bond funds for each of...
John Hancock Launches Small Company Fund
John Hancock Funds has completed the adoption of Fiduciary Management Associates’ FMA Small Company Portfolio, and has launched it as the new John Hancock Small Company Fund (JCSAX).
Taxable Bond ETFs Still King of the Hill
Another strong November showing has allowed taxable bond ETFs to walk off with “most popular” honors, with $32.1 billion in net year-to-date inflows, according to Morningstar.
Bond Funds Continue Pull on Assets
Flows into bond funds in November, although somewhat off from the blistering pace of the prior three months, were very robust at $38 billion, according to Strategic Insight...
BofA Merrill: Economy Will Gather Momentum in 2010
In its annual investment outlook, BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research projected above-consensus GDP growth and a bullish outlook for equities.
Another Record-Setting Year for ETFs?
2009 could be another record-setting year for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according to a new report.
Bond Mutual Funds On Track for Record Inflows in 2009
Looks like bonds are back—and in a big way.
November Sees Record High ETF Assets
According to the latest ETF Snapshot report by State Street Global Advisers (SSgA), as of November 30, assets in the U.S. exchange-traded fund industry totaled approximately $739 billion,...
Many Target-Date Investors Also Invest in Other Funds
Retirement plan participants invested in target-date funds along with other funds offered by the plan could end up with a potentially inferior portfolio in terms of risk/return tradeoff,...
Participants not Fully Reaping Benefits of Market Rebound
Plans in the Callan DC Index underperformed the average comparable (2030) target-date fund last quarter, and the difference in allocations to equity could explain why.
FRC Predicts Growth in Use of External Managers
The Financial Research Corporation (FRC) predicts that if the market remains stable and does not go through another crisis within the next five years, sub-advised mutual fund and...
Equities Look Good for 2010
The stock market is poised to perform fairly well in 2010, according to portfolio managers at T. Rowe Price.
T. Rowe Reaffirms Target-Date Strategy
Target-date funds with high equity allocation at retirement have come under fire lately, but T. Rowe Price is sticking with its strategy.
Advisers Attracted to Lower Fees of ETFs
While exchange-traded-fund (ETF) assets will continue to grow rapidly, ETF providers see 401(k) accounts as a continued challenge, according to Cerulli Associates.
Investors Choose International over Domestic Equities
For the third consecutive month, investors deposited a $40 billion-plus amount into bond funds, bringing year-to-date bond fund flow volumes to an enormous $330 billion, according to data...
Regions Reinstates Retirement Benefits
Regions Financial Corp. Chief Executive Dowd Ritter told employees the bank will restore its 401(k) matching contributions and restart its accruals on employees’ pension plans in January.
Fund Managers’ Risk Appetite on the Rise
The latest Bank of America (BofA) Merrill Lynch Fund Manager Survey found that risk appetite among investors is tip-toeing upward.