Industry News

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NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 27, 2011
Top-rated states face credit downgrade

Moody's places five Aaa issuers under review for possible downgrades. The reason? The states are vulnerable to cuts in federal spending, the rating agency says.

By John Goff
Merrill hit for $880K arbitration award
NEWS EQUITIES JUL 27, 2011
Merrill hit for $880K arbitration award

Clients of a prominent Bank of America Merrill Lynch broker have won an $880,000 arbitration award against the firm.

By Dan Jamieson
Structured products 'absurdly destructive' for retail investors: Report
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUL 27, 2011
Structured products 'absurdly destructive' for retail investors: Report

Retail investors have lost at least $113B in complex investment instruments since 2008, study say

By Liz Skinner
It's high time to adopt auto IRAs
NEWS RIAS JUL 26, 2011
It's high time to adopt auto IRAs

More than ever, employees of small companies face the prospect of a bleak retirement

By MFXFeeder
NEWS IRA ALERT JUL 26, 2011
Broken window: Rollover horror stories

When clients withdraw money from an individual retirement account or employer retirement plan and want to move those funds to another retirement account, they must roll over those funds within 60 days of the date that they received the distribution from the plan or IRA

By Ed Slott
Automatic for the people: Fund firms back digital statements as default for retirement plans
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 26, 2011
Automatic for the people: Fund firms back digital statements as default for retirement plans

Plan sponsors should be able to send retirement plan info to employees digitally without getting permission, industry groups argue

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
UBS' Bob McCann: We're not getting hitched to Wells Fargo
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUL 26, 2011
UBS' Bob McCann: We're not getting hitched to Wells Fargo

It's not happening, says Robert McCann, head of the bank's U.S. wealth management operation. In fact, McCann flat out denies rampant speculation that a deal is in the works to sell his unit to Wells Fargo. According to McCann, he hasn't even spoken with anyone at the supposed buyer.

By John Goff
College marketing an education in how to generate cash, buzz
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 26, 2011
College marketing an education in how to generate cash, buzz

Top universities are said to be soliciting applicants who have little chance of getting admitted. The reason? Critics say it's to generate both cash and buzz.

By John Goff
NEWS WIREHOUSES JUL 26, 2011
Wirehouses saw little turnover in the past year

Financial adviser turnover at the four wirehouses — Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, UBS AG and Wells Fargo & Co. — dropped to near-historic lows over the past 12 months

By Andrew Osterland
Jeremy Grantham: One of the 'greatest inflection points' in economic history
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUL 26, 2011
Jeremy Grantham: One of the 'greatest inflection points' in economic history

The legendary investor warns that the world is now a more constrained place -- a place where prices of raw materials will rise and shortages will be commonplace

By Jeremy Grantham
NEWS WIREHOUSES JUL 26, 2011
McCann do: UBS wealth management sees huge jump in profit

Unit reports nearly eight-fold increase in pretax earnings; rich clients finally returning in force

By John Goff
NEWS RIAS JUL 25, 2011
E*Ject? Another CEO jettisoned at E*Trade

Frieberg the third chief executive to exit the brokerage in four years; 'appropriate time'

By John Goff
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUL 25, 2011
Body of brokerage founder recovered in Lake Ontario

Griffiths missing for five days; helped launch GMP Capital

By John Goff
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUL 25, 2011
Pimco, BlackRock get some satisfaction with BofA settlement

Dust-up over soured mortgage trusts settled, as bank agrees to paybondholders $8.5B

By John Goff
Goldman, Morgan Stanley bullish on commodities
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUL 25, 2011
Goldman, Morgan Stanley bullish on commodities

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley increased their forecasts for crude-oil prices by more than 20%, signaling a bullish outlook for commodities.

By Doug Cubberley
Big rise in Finra lobbying $$$
NEWS REGULATION AND LEGISLATION JUL 25, 2011
Big rise in Finra lobbying $$$

Industry regulator shelled out more than $300K in first quarter; entire financial industry spending big bucks bending ears

By Dan Jamieson
NEWS RIAS JUL 24, 2011
Advisers' two toughest words: 'Save more'

It is no secret that many middle-class Americans aren't saving enough for retirement, but according to financial advisers, a surprising number of their higher-income clients are in the same predicament and need help to turn things around

By Lavonne Kuykendall
NEWS ALTERNATIVES JUL 24, 2011
Regulator wants to firm up pricing of illiquid securities

Finra is continuing to shake up the way broker-dealers show the value of illiquid investments such as nontraded real estate investment trusts and private placements on clients' account statements

By Bruce Kelly
NEWS MUTUAL FUNDS JUL 24, 2011
Emotional responses are common among managers as well as investors

Looking at a portfolio manager's track record is one thing, but understanding how he or she achieved it, and whether it can be repeated, is another story and something that financial advisers should consider when selecting funds for their clients, according to those who study investor behavioral trends

By Andrew Osterland
Biggest muni bankruptcy ever puts investors on high alert
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 22, 2011
Biggest muni bankruptcy ever puts investors on high alert

Creditors left holding the bag after Jefferson County goes bust; 'catastrophic mistake'

By John Goff