Research Magazine October 2012

Advisors Feel Pinch of Compensation Squeeze

By Ellen Uzelac

Many advisors expect to see a slight lift in pay in 2012, but with the sluggish economic recovery, ongoing global challenges and relentless cost-cutting, there is little reason to bring out the bubbly.

Bill Gross vs. the Equity Cult

By Michael Finke

Asking PIMCO founder Bill Gross his opinion of stocks is like asking the late Steve Jobs his opinion of Windows.

Beyond the Ivory Tower

By Ellen Uzelac

For three decades, Jim Poterba has studied how taxation affects household and business decision-making. The big takeaway for financial advisors: one size does not fit all.

Running Out of Money

By Bob Seawright

It is a major fear for many Americans. In fact, there is excellent research to support the idea that Americans fear running out of money in retirement more than they fear death.

I Wish

By Bill Miller

I’ve always been intrigued by financial advisors.

How to Master the Second ‘Cold’ Call

By Bill Good

Even if you do everything right on the first call, you can still blow it on this crucial follow-up call.

Taking Sides: Will Wall Street’s Generosity to GOP Continue?

By Kenneth Silber, Research

In the 2008 presidential race, Barack Obama had a substantial edge over John McCain in raising money from Wall Street. That advantage has not only evaporated for the president in the current race, but has reversed dramatically.

America’s Edge

By Alexei Bayer

If the 2012 election campaign has plunged you into depression and convinced you that this country is going down the drain, an antidote could be a tour of a college or university campus.

The Long View

By Robert Tyndall

John Bogle was long a prophet without honor in the financial services industry.

Thriving Amid Low Rates

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

Income investors have been crushed by the depressed interest rate environment.

Russell Pulls Plug on 25 ETFs

By Ron DeLegge, ETFguide.com

Russell Investments is liquidating 25 equity index ETFs with around $310 million in assets.

EG Advisors Debuts Duo

By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com

Emerging Global Advisors launched two equity emerging markets ETFs with a unique slant.

Agricultural ETPs Rally

By Ron DeLegge, ETFguide.com

One of the worst droughts in 30 years has damaged U.S. corn crops and keeps lifting prices higher.

Don't Discount Muni Risks

By Ron DeLegge, ETFguide.com

Municipal bonds have lower default rates and carry lower risk because credit raters say so—how many times have we heard that?

Time to Rethink Bond Strategy?

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

With current bond yields low, interest rates lower and the economic outlook “cloudy at best,” Ken Volpert, head of Vanguard’s Taxable Bond Group, says the organization “doesn’t think future bond returns will be nearly as robust as they’ve been.

The Hartford to Exit Retirement-Plans Biz

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

The Hartford Financial Services Group agreed to sell its Retirement Plans business to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. for $400 million in early September.

Morgan Stanley, Citi Strike Deal on MSSB

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

Morgan Stanley and Citigroup have agreed on the valuation to be used in pricing Morgan Stanley’s purchase of the remaining stake in the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney joint venture: $13.5 billion for the full business, which includes close to 17,000 advisors.

Recruiting Activity Gathering Steam As FAs Embrace Wide Range of Options

By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne

Many brokers continued to move between the wirehouses in the late summer and early fall.

Dividend Increases Hit the Mark

By Mark Agnew

The shareholder-owned electric utility industry added to its eight-year-long trend of widespread dividend increases in Q2.

EEI: ‘Congress & President Must Act Now To Extend Current Dividend Tax Rates’

Today our nation is facing a series of tax hikes and mandatory spending cuts that threaten to send the economy over a ‘fiscal cliff’ at the end of the year.

Generating Strong Returns

By Ed McCarthy, CFP

Despite the overall market’s swings from risk-on to risk-off in response to a slow U.S. recovery, Europe’s ongoing crisis and the Fed’s decision to hold rates at extraordinarily low levels, electric utilities have continued to provide solid total returns for growth-and-income investors seeking lower volatility.

Service Strength

Water Utilities

Warming Up

Energy