REITs Outperform S&P 500 in 2011
The U.S. REIT market continued to outperform the broader equity market in the first nine months of 2011, in spite of losing ground to the S&P 500 in...
The Markets
U.S. Companies Add $9.6B to Dividend Payments in Q3
S&P Indices announced dividend increases rose 17.1% during the third quarter of 2011, with 350 companies increasing their dividends.
Operational Risk in Managed Accounts Can Cause Problems
A Cerulli report contends that while managed accounts are stable from an investment-risk and a regulatory standpoint, operational risk remains a concern.
Casey Quirk Predicts Target-Date Retirement Fund Growth
Target-date retirement funds (TDRFs) will represent nearly half of defined contribution assets by 2020, according to Casey, Quick & Associates.
Mutual Fund Outflows More Than Doubled in August
Stock and bond funds experienced net outflows of $32.8 billion from long term funds last month, according to data from the Financial Research Corporation (FRC).
Investment Managers Say U.S. Not Entering Double-Dip Recession
More than three quarters (79%) of investment managers surveyed in the latest Russell Investments Investment Manager Outlook (IMO) survey say they do not believe the U.S. economy is...
Russell Paper Outlines Volatility-Responsive Asset Allocation
Russell Investments’ latest research for institutional investors explores the possibility of a dynamic asset allocation policy that varies as market volatility changes.
More Retirement Plans Expected to Offer SRI Options
The number of defined contribution (DC) retirement plans offering a sustainable and responsible investing (SRI) choice could double in the next two to three years, according to Mercer.
Vanguard DC Participants Hold Fast during August Volatility
Fewer than 3% of participants in Vanguard-administered defined contribution plans made one or more portfolio trades or exchanges in August, despite a volatile market.
Mutual Funds See Gains At Dramatically Slower Pace
Long-term funds took in $370 billion in cash contributions globally, according to Strategic Insight (SI).
Morningstar Expands ETF Resources
Morningstar, Inc. announced plans to launch rankings and research on exchange-traded fund (ETF) managed portfolios later this year.
Investor Appetite for ETFs Increasing
A Charles Schwab study found that 44% of individual investors plan to invest more in exchange-traded funds over the next 12 months.
Demand for Sub-Advised Mutual Funds Expected to Increase
In spite of market volatility, Financial Research Corporation (FRC) expects demand for sub-advised mutual funds to rise and assets to reach $2.2 trillion by 2016, according to industry...
Morningstar Adds Strategies to Managed Portfolios Program
Morningstar Investment Services, Inc. (MIS) introduced a suite of new strategies to Morningstar Managed Portfolios, including active/passive, momentum ETF, and global tactical ETF portfolios.
Advisers Lack Consensus on Investment Outlook
The percentage of advisers who think the economy is headed for a “double-dip” recession in the next six months—although still more than half—has decreased from one year ago....
Callan DC Index Falls Behind Average Corporate DB Plan
The Callan DC Index eked out a negligible 0.23% return in the second quarter of the year.
Vanguard Research Finds August Market Volatility “Ordinary”
Vanguard researchers report that the levels of market variations today are ordinary when compared to other periods characterized by major global events.
U.S. Bond & Stock Mutual Funds See Net Outflows of $34B
In an unusually volatile month, nervous investors redeemed an estimated $34 billion in net cash out of U.S. stock and bond mutual funds in August.
Doll Says Economy’s Vital Signs Are Good
Although he is predicting “growth below trend,” BlackRock Chief Equity Strategist for Fundamental Equities, Robert Doll, told those at the PLANADVISER National Conference that the “vital signs of...