Institutional investors moving more cash to diversified strategies

Friday's Breakfast with Benjamin featuring what big investors are doing with their cash. Plus: Bracing for an SEC exam, robo-adviser asset-gathering update, stocks to watch next week, and more ways to spend bitcoin.
FEB 25, 2014
  • For more proof that diversification is in the eye of the beholder, a BlackRock report showing portfolio diversification is somewhat ironically described as risk-taking. Note to reader, when the S&P 500 gains more than 32% in a year, moving cash off the sidelines to invest in real estate and hedge funds is smart defense, not aggressive offense. Building better portfolios
  • With the SEC now committed to visit a wider variety of financial advisers, this would be a good time to start preparing for such exams. It's still not clear if the commission with have the resources or the energy to go beyond its average of visiting about 9% of the adviser community, but here are some tips to help you prep. Test yourself
  • Robo-adviser efforts to crack the code of asset gathering. Tech talk
  • As earnings season rolls on, here are nine low-valuation stocks slated to report next week. Potential bump from positive earnings surprises
  • For those folks fired up over how much money the federal government is making on the mortgage business, there is at least a show of support for selling Fannie and Freddie. But it's mostly just political bluster. Little chance of being adopted
  • The NBA's Sacramento Kings becomes the first pro sports franchise to accept bitcoin. Meanwhile, the Kings can't seem to win at home or on the road, and are clinging to a one-game winning streak. Fans can buy tickets and merchandise with the digital currency

Latest News

Private credit becoming 'big piece' of annuities, T. Rowe exec says
Private credit becoming 'big piece' of annuities, T. Rowe exec says

Goldman Sachs retirement survey finds 83% want guaranteed income, while the annuities providing that income increasingly hold private credit.

Zocks debuts Claude plugin with seven skills for financial advisors
Zocks debuts Claude plugin with seven skills for financial advisors

The AI meeting assistant's Advisor Intelligence plugin turns client conversation data into annual reviews, tax scans and attrition alerts.

Stifel settles massive $30 million complaint involving star broker’s sale of structured products
Stifel settles massive $30 million complaint involving star broker’s sale of structured products

Chuck Roberts and Stifel have been facing scrutiny due to sales of structured products and structured notes.

SEC floats CFP route to accredited investor status, fund rules refresh amid private market push
SEC floats CFP route to accredited investor status, fund rules refresh amid private market push

Among other updates, the proposals would let advisors to regulated funds earn performance fees and allow interval funds to offer monthly repurchases.

The Year Is 2046 and I’m a Financial Advisor 
The Year Is 2046 and I’m a Financial Advisor 

What will financial advice look like 20 years from now? Evan Vladem explores how AI may transform wealth management while reinforcing the enduring value of human guidance, trust, and empathy. 

SPONSORED In the Age of AI, Trust Becomes the Advisor's Greatest Asset

As AI makes financial information more accessible than ever, Lana Hock explains why human judgment, trust, and empathy remain the qualities clients value most in a financial advisor

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains