Industry News

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NEWS WIREHOUSES FEB 19, 2007
Referrals show Fidelity has more faith in RIAs

With the specter of millionare clients’ assets slipping through its fingers in a hot rollover market, Fidelity Investments is placing its high-net-worth strategy squarely on the shoulders of registered investment advisers.

NEWS BROKER DEALERS FEB 19, 2007
Broker-dealers focus intently on transitions

Like their clients, advisers and registered representatives are getting older and often worry about their futures.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 19, 2007
Budget includes another 529 boon from Bush

A short but significant provision in President Bush’s proposed fiscal 2008 federal budget has cemented his status as the college savings plan industry’s new best friend.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 19, 2007
Bank loans thriving as bond option

Bank-loan funds are the beneficiary of a bond market that has made investors leery of most fixed-income investments — particularly junk bonds. Compared with junk-bond funds — to which some consider bank-loan funds an attractive alternative — asset flows into bank-loan funds have remained strong.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 19, 2007
MetLife accused of coercing advisers to sell its products

NEW YORK — A securities law firm is seeking class action status for clients who may have been financially damaged by an insurer’s threats and commission incentives designed to skew adviser judgment in favor of proprietary products.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 19, 2007
These days, it’s no fun being a bond manager

SAN FRANCISCO — A top bond expert made only passing mention of bonds at TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.’s 2007 annual conference in San Diego early this month.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 19, 2007
John Hancock ups the ante in cash value guarantees

NEW YORK — John Hancock Life Insurance Co. of Boston this month introduced a policy that guarantees cash values to a greater extent than other types of whole life insurance.

BofA chief's stock options shrink
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 16, 2007
BofA chief's stock options shrink

Bank of America Corp. chief executive Kenneth D. Lewis saw his stock options drop 8% to $10.8 million last year, compared with $11.7 million in 2005, according to Financial News.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 12, 2007
VA industry unveiling electronic processing

A trade group for the variable annuity industry today announced a technology initiative intended to save time and money for VA distributors through streamlining and standardization.

NEWS BROKER DEALERS FEB 12, 2007
Co-founder of ING firm jumps to NFP

One of the founders of Financial Network Investment Corp., the largest independent-contractor broker-dealer in the ING Advisors Network Inc., walked out the door last month and joined NFP Securities Inc., leaving some observers to wonder how many registered representatives affiliated with FNIC eventually could follow.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 12, 2007
TD Ameritrade’s Moglia moves to reposition brand

Joseph Moglia’s proclamation that his company is spending big money to align the TD Ameritrade brand with thoughtful investment advice drew initial applause from financial advisers listening to the Omaha, Neb.-based company’s chairman and chief executive at its Partnership 2007 conference here last week.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 12, 2007
Startup firm allows homeowners to tap equity without payments

Baby boomers who are rich in real estate now can get cash out of their homes without taking on debt or making a payment, but at least one competitor questions whether the idea is a Faustian bargain.

NEWS WIREHOUSES FEB 12, 2007
Wirehouses warm to fiduciary status

In an effort to prevent top brokers from bolting, wirehouses quietly are backing down from their tough stance against allowing advisers to act as fiduciaries to employee retirement plans.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 05, 2007
Putnam needs to show, not tell, advisers say

When it comes to Putnam Investments, it is the performance — not the parent — that matters, financial advisers say.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 05, 2007
Many pessimistic about financial future, study shows

WASHINGTON — As Americans feel more stressed out over the erosion of corporate benefits and the solvency of social benefits programs, such traditional economic indicators as gross domestic product growth and household income are becoming less correlated to their perception of the economy’s well-being, according to a recently released study.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 05, 2007
Year-old roll-up firm triples assets to $15B

Focus Financial Partners LLC, barely a year old, purchased majority stakes in three more independent fiduciary wealth management firms last week — increasing its roster of firms to nine and tripling assets under management to $15 billion.

NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 05, 2007
Lawmaker changes horses on income stream comments

A congressman who raised eyebrows last month when he seemed to imply that annuities are the answer to the need for lifetime retirement income claims he was misunderstood.

NEWS WIREHOUSES FEB 05, 2007
Merrill pads its lead in race for assets

Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. continues to lead the wirehouse race for net new client assets.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 05, 2007
Advisers lukewarm on alternative energy

The Bush administration’s push for an increased use of alternative energy has shed new light on an emerging category of relatively untested and untapped investment opportunities.

NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS FEB 05, 2007
Office, international REITs seen strong for 2007

Real estate investment trusts that focus on office properties and those investing internationally will continue to show strong performance this year, even though REITs overall have outperformed the broad market for the past seven years, according to industry experts.