Industry News

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NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 07, 2009
ING sells Swiss private-banking unit--are U.S.-based broker-dealers next?

ING's <a href= http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091007/FREE/910079995> decision to sell off its Swiss private-banking unit</a> to Julius Baer Group today is renewing speculation that the insurer may soon sell off most of its broker-dealer network here in the United States.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 07, 2009
Clearing firm Penson calls naked-short video a 'hoax'

Officials for Penson Financial Services Inc. said that <a href= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKQdQ0T9IkE&amp;feature=player_embedded> a video circulating on the Internet </a> of one of its traders engaging in an apparent naked short sale is a fraud that unfairly accuses the firm of violating Securities and Exchange Commission regulations.

NEWS MUTUAL FUNDS OCT 07, 2009
Big deals are back: Large companies shedding asset managers, driving M&A activity

Larger financial institutions shedding their asset management business accounted for the bulk of mergers-and-acquisitions activities in the third quarter, a trend that will continue in the months ahead, according to a report today from the financial-institutions group of Jefferies &amp; Co. Inc.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 07, 2009
Assets in health savings accounts spike

Balances in health investment accounts leapt by more than 20% quarter-over-quarter during the second quarter of 2009, according to data from Canopy Financial Inc.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 06, 2009
Industry officials sound off on federal insurance office proposal

Regulators and representatives of the insurance industry appeared before Congress today to discuss a new draft of the Federal Insurance Office Act of 2009.

NEWS WIREHOUSES OCT 06, 2009
Beacon Pointe ramps up recruiting, targets wirehouse refugees

Beacon Pointe Advisors of Newport Beach, Calif., a wealth management firm with $4 billion in assets that caters to high-net-worth individuals, is looking to bolster its business with wirehouse castoffs.

NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 05, 2009
Most advisers concerned about succession plans, survey reveals

Although financial advisers think that succession planning is important, many also believe that they aren't getting enough help preparing for that transition, according to a new survey conducted by Mathew Greenwald &amp; Associates Inc. for John Hancock Financial Network.

NEWS RIAS OCT 05, 2009
Kanjorski bill would impose new fee on RIA firms

Investment advisory firms would have to pay fees to cover the cost of SEC examinations under draft legislation released last week by a senior lawmaker.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 05, 2009
BlackRock, Alliance Bernstein, Wellington approved for PPIP

Three more large investment firms have raised sufficient capital to participate in the joint partnership with the government to purchase toxic assets from banks.

NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 05, 2009
Investment advisers optimistic about the final quarter of '09

A new survey suggests that independent investment advisers are becoming more optimistic about the economy.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 04, 2009
"Responsible teen' not an oxymoron

By at least one measure, today's teenagers are more responsible than their parents were.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 04, 2009
Half of households lack backup for breadwinner

Many American households would be in financial distress if confronted with the loss of a breadwinner, according to a recent survey from New York Life Insurance Co.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 04, 2009
Big banks redrawing custodial landscape

JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. and Bank of America Corp. may be giants of the financial services world, but they're retrenching when it comes to serving independent advisers.

NEWS RIAS OCT 04, 2009
Hartford CEO: Wealth management, retirement are key

Growth in The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.'s wealth management and retirement businesses will be a renewed area of focus as the insurance giant welcomes its new chief executive, Liam E. McGee, who officially joined the firm last week from Bank of America Corp.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 04, 2009
Advisers wary of insurance industry's mortgage-backed-securities proposal

Financial advisers and consumer advocates are skeptical of a proposal from the life insurance industry that could reduce the amount of capital that carriers need to hold against residential-mortgage-backed securities.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS OCT 02, 2009
August pending home sales rise to 2 1/2 year high

Aspiring U.S. homebuyers rushed to take advantage of a tax credit for first-time owners that expires in November, driving up the number of signed sales contracts for the seventh straight month in August.

NEWS PRACTICE MANAGEMENT OCT 02, 2009
Baird adviser with $205M heads to RBC, $100M Merrill couple goes indie

Mike Dwyer, formerly of Robert W. Baird &amp; Co. Inc., has joined RBC Wealth Management as a senior vice president and financial consultant in the firm's Phoenix office, RBC said today.

NEWS ALTERNATIVES OCT 02, 2009
Boston Fed head: Despite positive signs, high jobless rate will persist

Unemployment is expected to remain at elevated rates for the next two years, Boston Federal Reserve Bank president and chief executive Eric Rosengren said at a meeting of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce today.

NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 02, 2009
“Roth revolution” just around the corner, adviser predicts

The elimination of the income limit on Roth IRA conversions starting next year could lead to a &#8220;Roth revolution,&#8221; according to David Polstra, a partner at the advisory firm Brightworth Private Wealth Counsel.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES OCT 02, 2009
Long-term care insurer Penn Treaty to be liquidated

Pennsylvania's insurance department today filed petitions to liquidate embattled long-term care insurer Penn Treaty Network America Insurance Co. and American Network Insurance Co.