Research Magazine September 2008
Cover Story
The Winner's Circle
The Winner's Circle has proved its mettle as an enduring institution in the financial industry. A program for ranking the best financial advisors, it is...
Features
-
Clearers on the March
Bear Stearns' sudden collapse last March indeed shook Wall Street and sent shock waves throughout every financial market around the globe. But at least one behind-the-scenes...
-
The Rise of Islamic Finance
Islamic finance is a fast-growing sector that seeks to conduct financial practices in accordance with sharia, or Islamic law. It is a field that has...
-
Got Marketing?
When staffers at Quantuvis Consulting answer the telephone, callers are routinely greeted with this cheerful refrain: "How can I make your day great?" Engaging. Pro-active. Supportive. Exactly...
News
-
The Commodities Blame Game
Who's to blame for soaring commodity prices? Inquiring minds want to know. How do we explain crude's rapid ascent from $50 a barrel at the beginning...
-
Lack of Demand Folds Some ETFs
If location, location, location is the main criteria when it comes to investing in real estate, then timing, timing and timing might be the most...
-
Vanguard Goes Broad
Looking for broad global diversification? Check out the newly launched Vanguard Total World Stock Index ETF (VT). The fund measures the market performance of large- and...
-
BGI Launches Theme Funds
One of the developing trends over the past few years has been theme-based investments. The idea is to focus on emerging ideas that may reshape...
-
Focus on ETNs
If you think the menu of exchange-traded funds has gotten big, you should take a gander at exchange-traded notes. The number of notes has jumped...
-
Exploring the Mideast
InvescoPowerShares has introduced a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) that will track frontier markets in the Middle East. The PowerShares MENA Frontier Countries Portfolio (PMNA) will follow...
-
Mirror Image
One of the top-notch advisory firms profiled in our annual Winner's Circle cover story manages a tantalizing $700 million in assets under management; another of...
-
Gold Loses Its Luster
After breaking the $1,000-an-ounce barrier during the spring, gold's seemingly invincible run has hit a brick wall. The price of this storied yellow metal has...
-
HealthShares' Major Surgery
XShares Advisors says the board of directors of its flagship ETF family, HealthShares, has approved a reorganization of 19 HealthShares ETFs, which includes liquidating 15...
-
The Dow Jones: A Truly Unique Barometer
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was first published by Charles Dow in 1896 and followed the Dow Jones Transportation Average. A walk down memory lane reveals...
-
Dear Mr. President ...
Dear Mr. President (and Mr./Ms. Investor): You have inherited a mess. This is the subject of a recent monthly investment-outlook newsletter penned by Bill Gross. Gross,...
-
Pimco Moves into ETFs
Pacific Investment Management Co.'s (Pimco) reputation as a shrewd bond fund manager has served the company well. Soon, everyone will learn if that reputation can...
-
Raymond James Turns Closed-End Fund into ETF
It's been a rare occurrence, but some closed-end mutual funds are opting to become exchange-traded funds (ETFs). For instance, Claymore Advisors has just announced that...
-
Claymore Launches Maritime-Shipping ETF
Claymore Securities, known for its narrowly focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has just launched the Claymore/Delta Global Shipping Index ETF (SEA). The ETF tracks companies from...
-
What's in the Stars?
Indexing/Commentary What's in the Stars? The PowerShares Dynamic Large Cap Value Portfolio (PWV) and the Dynamic Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (PWJ) are the first ETFs of their...
-
Some Sector Funds Are 'Oversold,' Japan Funds Remain Attractive
The number of major fund groups posting inflows fell to five in the week ending July 16, reports EPFR Global of Boston. "Against a backdrop...
-
Experts Debate: Boom or Doom?
U.S. Global Investors, the San Antonio-based fund shop that boasts a chart-topping performance with its gold/precious-metals fund and its global-resources fund (among others), recently hosted...
-
Janus Boosts Interest in Value Manager
Janus Capital Group Inc. says it should soon purchase an additional 50 percent interest in U.S. value manager Perkins, Wolf, McDonnell and Company for $90...
-
Q2 Outcome Encouraging to T. Rowe Price Group
T. Rowe Price Group says it had second-quarter revenues of nearly $587 million on net income of $162 million vs. sales of $551 million in...
-
Target-Date Funds Highlighted in Recent Putnam 401(k) Survey
A study of more than 150 advisors who focus on the retirement marketplace has revealed the key criteria in the selection of qualified default investment...
-
Major Firms Add to International Offerings
Vanguard has introduced the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund, which aims to track the investment performance of the FTSE All-World Index, a benchmark of...
-
IN BRIEF
Morgan Stanley Investment Management has introduced the Morgan Stanley Commodities Alpha Fund. The actively managed mutual fund, according to the company, offers high-net-worth investors the...
-
Merrill Trims CDOs and Staff, as It Boosts Global FAs to 16,690
Merrill Lynch says it had a second-quarter net loss of $4.7 billion vs. earnings of $2.1 billion a year earlier. Second-quarter 2008 results include a...
-
Wachovia Restructures, Taps Robert Steel as CEO/President
Wachovia has reported a net loss in the second quarter of $8.9 billion, including a $6.1 billion non-cash goodwill impairment charge in commercial-related sub-segments. Excluding...
-
UBS Settles in Massachusetts, Hit with New York Lawsuit
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley says UBS will pay $1 million related to the sales of auction rate securities to certain Massachusetts towns and cities....
-
Top AIG Advisors Share Their Secrets of Success
(CHICAGO) The AIG Advisor Group hosted "Why Women Are Winning," a female-advisor event at the Ritz-Carlton from July 13-15. The event drew some 100 advisors...
-
AIG Exec Larry Roth on Independence, Growth
(CHICAGO) AIG Advisor Group President and CEO Larry Roth gave the opening address at the firm's "Why Women Are Winning" event. He later shared some...
-
New & Improved Online Social-Security Benefits Calculator
Social Security retirement benefits are an important component of many clients' retirement incomes, but getting reliable estimates of future benefits has always been awkward. Fortunately,...
-
Top Retirement Advisors Address 'The Softer Side'
"I don't want to run out of money." And? While some clients' greatest retirement concern may be a lack of cash, there are other things on...
-
Seeing the Boomers' Big Picture
The news media often lump baby boomers together when they discuss that age group. That generalization can be incorrect, particularly when it comes to understanding...
-
Five Questions for the Retirement Advisor
Robert Graham, RFC, president and CEO, RG Capital, AIG Financial Advisors, Scottsdale, Ariz. 1. What retirement issue has hit you or your clients out of left...
-
Biotech/Health Care
Thanks to new drugs, acquisitions and other factors, biotech and health-care firms alike are forging beneficial growth and development strategies - which is good news...
-
A Conversation with Bob Kerzner
Bob Kerzner is a passionate advocate for the life insurance industry. Since 2004 he has been the President & CEO of LIMRA International, a world-wide...
-
The Strategist
Talk about retiring today and it's enough to scare some people to death. That's not surprising considering the back story: the disappearing pension, rising health...
-
Fiscally Fit
It was the thrill of a lifetime when, crossing the finish line in Frankfurt, Germany, he heard the announcer proclaim: "Larry Palmer, you're an Ironman!" The...
-
Public Risk: Taxes
Discussions of consumer spending tend to focus on post-tax dollars. This can be misleading because taxes are likely to be the bigger and faster growing...
Voices/Columnists
-
Referrals Happen
I run into all kinds of systems that supposedly produce referrals. One chap was paying $750 per month to a coach who was helping him...
-
What NOT to Do in a Bear Market
As of this writing, the stock market is in turmoil. Major financial institutions are on the brink of collapse, and our country's entire mortgage industry...
-
The Global Planner
Here's a startling statistic: By the end of this year, the number of non-U.S. CFP certificants will likely surpass the number of U.S. certificants. It's...
-
WOW Service
Financial advisors often assume that their clients will mainly judge them on the criterion of investment performance. But research shows that when affluent clients fire...
-
Rooting Out Treasures
Donald Putnam is a dream lunch guest. He is worldly, affable and articulate, with a fine gift of turning a quick aphorism. --- Who: Donald H. Putnam,...
-
Good for GM?
"What's good for General Motors is good for the country," GM president Charles Erwin Wilson reportedly declared in the Senate in 1953. Historians claim that...
Sponsor
Showcase
Actionable insights to help you make better global investment decisions.
Event Spotlight
Retirement Income Symposium
October 10-11, 2013
Hyatt Regency, Boston, MA
The symposium provides practical, innovative solutions to current industry challenges and provides advisors clear, actionable strategies that they can utilize to address their clients' needs.
Resource Library
View All »
Understand the #1 Alternative Asset for Self-Directed Investors - Real...
Are you prepared to offer innovative alternative investment solutions to your clients and explain the...
Sales & Onboarding - Your Last Chance to Make a...
Start building long-term, loyal clients and advocates today by utilizing the latest research and our...
Complimentary White Paper: "Strategies on Advising Couples"
Grow your practice by rethinking how you view, interact and approach investment decisions when working...
Breaking up is hard to do
Love being a financial advisor? Not getting what you need from your current firm? Hear...
The Best of Both Worlds with Century Securities
Our independent affiliates enjoy the freedom to make important choices and the professional resources of...
Build a Scalable Foundation for Growing Your Advisory Practice
This advice is based on industry research and the practical observations of other advisors who...
Complimentary Informational Brochure on Ameritas Life and Annuities
Ameritas Advisor Services can give you the tools you need to help your clients with...
Working Smarter: Engaging Prospects And Clients Through Social Media
For financial advisors, social media represents a powerful addition to traditional marketing and networking activities....
Complimentary Copy of "Winning Advantage: The Financial Advisor Playbook for...
Find out the four crucial steps you need to follow to choose the right technology...
Complimentary White Paper: "Alternative Investments in the Mainstream "
In this white paper you will learn how to earn more referrals and grow your...
Advisor Tools
Business Evaluator
The Business Evaluator tool is designed to educate advisors on career options. Get recommendations unique to your situation as the Business Evaluator intuitively guides you through exploring a change.
