Managing client expectations about investment performance remains independent advisers' biggest challenge, but they are regaining confidence in the economy and directing more investments to equities and away from cash and bonds, according to The Charles Schwab Corp.'s semiannual Independent Advisor Outlook Study.
The first lawsuit over the sale of allegedly fraudulent notes issued by Medical Capital Holdings Inc. was filed last week, and more look likely to come.
In the wake of a decision last month by LPL to bring in-house the clearing function at three subsidiary broker-dealers, about 200 financial advisers at those firms have moved to other firms or are planning to do so.
History is rife with examples of adverse, unintended consequences resulting from well-intentioned lawmaking acting in the face of a crisis.
Having already added nearly 300 financial advisers in the first six months of the year, Stifel Financial Corp. is now poised to add another 350 new advisers — at least — in the second half of 2009.
Competition among clearing firms and custodians to woo advisers with technology ratcheted up a notch last week when National Financial Services LLC said that it had integrated the Thomson One wealth management platform into its Streetscape broker workstation.
Even though independence is losing its stigma as a sign of failure among wirehouse brokers, they continue to move at only a moderate pace to independent broker-dealers and registered investment advisory firms, a panel of experts said last week.
A sprawling case of alleged securities fraud involving an independent broker-dealer and two brokers may wind up costing an insurance company $10.3 million.
Raymond James Financial Inc. has acquired a boutique investment bank to expand its reach in that business, following through on plans to scoop up acquisitions in the troubled market.
Leaders of Fidelity Investments' adviser and broker-dealer clearing businesses pointed fingers at themselves and at clients last week for retreating from customer contact during the most chaotic periods of their business careers and hinted at changes to come in several key services.
Some smaller broker-dealers are weathering tough times by diversifying into the institutional side of the business.
Considering the economy, the state of the stock market and the public's perception of Wall Street, the immediate outlook for the independent-brokerage business — like most financial services businesses — is anything but glowing.
Brokers who are considering going independent are finding a bright spot amid the gloom: The cost of going it alone is down sharply.
<i>InvestmentNews</i> has entered into a partnership with Moss Adams LLP to continue the research and studies conducted and produced by Moss Adams since 1992 on independent financial advisory firms.
The recent fantastic growth among independent broker-dealers came skidding to a halt last year, but the results were far from disastrous for many firms.
After months of waiting for talks on the sale of the three broker-dealers that make up the AIG Advisor Group to be resolved, many of the more than 6,000 representatives and financial advisers in the network are growing anxious about their future.
As the broad market continues its free fall, independent broker-dealer Woodbury (Minn.) Financial Services Inc. is grappling with changes in senior management and the lingering problems of its owner, The Hartford (Conn.) Financial Services Group Inc.
Seeking to assess the strength of the insurance carriers they do business with, many smaller independent broker-dealers — flummoxed by the insurers' opaque balance sheets and arcane accounting practices — are relying on a time-tested tool: their own observations.
