Industry News

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NEWS RIAS JUN 27, 2010
Nationwide latest to sweeten its VA benefits

Nationwide Financial Services Inc. last week bumped up its variable annuity living benefits, signaling a return — for some carriers — to the generous benefits that backfired on insurers when the stock market imploded in 2008.

By Darla Mercado
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUN 27, 2010
BlackRock's Bob Doll: Uncertainty levels will keep market volatility high

Market volatility remained high last week, with stocks sinking early before rebounding on Thursday.

By Bob Doll
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES JUN 25, 2010
Committee votes to keep states in charge of indexed annuities

The proposal clarifies that the funds are insurance products that should be overseen by states rather than securities that should be regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUN 25, 2010
Europe's woes mask solid investment plays, say money managers

Debt issues are no reason to avoid the area.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES JUN 25, 2010
Senate conferees approve Harkin amendment on equity-indexed annuities

Mr. Harkin's amendment would clarify that these funds are insurance products that should be overseen by states rather than the Securities and Exchange Commission.

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES JUN 25, 2010
Industry organization forms group to tackle new annuity rules

The group, comprising 60 to 70 representatives from broker-dealers and insurance companies, hopes to hash out a uniform solution to comply with the rules.

By Darla Mercado
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUN 25, 2010
Rob Arnott: When stocks become too big to succeed

Does our tendency to punish our winners hurt their investors? Yes. In fact, we find the leader in any sector underperforms the average stock in its own sector by 3.5% in the next year ... and the next year … and the next year.

By Rob Arnott
NEWS MUTUAL FUNDS JUN 25, 2010
Why Bill Miller is betting on Goldman Sachs

Legg Mason Inc.'s Bill Miller said he is sticking with his bets on Goldman Sachs Group Inc. because the fallout from the fraud accusations against the bank will probably be limited.

By Bloomberg
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUN 25, 2010
Broker who cost investors $1B ordered to prison

Former Credit Suisse Group AG broker Eric Butler, free while appealing his conviction for fraudulently selling subprime securities that cost investors more than $1.1 billion in losses, was ordered to begin serving his prison sentence.

By Bloomberg
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING JUN 25, 2010
DOL's 401(k) pitch strikes fear among financial advisers

The Department of Labor's unprecedented move to ask if 401(k) plan advice models should favor passively managed funds over actively managed ones has advisers alarmed that the choice of funds they can recommend to clients will be restricted.

By Jessica Toonkel Marquez
NEWS RIAS JUN 25, 2010
Geller Group confirms Labor Department probe

The Geller Group LLC, a New York retirement plan administrator and registered investment adviser, has confirmed in internal memoranda that it is being investigated by the Labor Department.

By Jed Horowitz
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUN 25, 2010
DOL probes Geller for ERISA violations

The Labor Department is investigating Geller Group LLC for failing to disclose alleged ties to an accounting firm it recommended as an auditor, according to former employees and others close to the investigation.

By Jed Horowitz
NEWS RIAS JUN 25, 2010
Geller Group under investigation by Labor Department

The Labor Department is investigating Geller Group LLC, a retirement plan administrator and registered investment adviser, for failing to disclose alleged ties to an accounting firm it recommended as an auditor and for other possible violations, according to former employees and others close to the investigation.

By Jed Horowitz
NEWS REGULATION AND LEGISLATION JUN 24, 2010
SEC limits political gifts from advisers to pension funds

Under the rule, if an investment adviser or certain employees of an advisory firm contribute to a politician with influence over hiring, they cannot be paid by the pension fund for two years.

By Bloomberg
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES JUN 24, 2010
Insurers launch registered indexed annuities

Though it appears that regulatory oversight of equity-indexed annuities will remain with states — and not shift to the Securities and Exchange Commission — some insurers are nonetheless rolling out indexed-annuities that qualify as securities.

By Darla Mercado
BP pressured to halt dividend payments; analysts label sell-off as 'very irrational'
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES JUN 24, 2010
BP pressured to halt dividend payments; analysts label sell-off as 'very irrational'

BP shares sunk Thursday in London as U.S. politicians pressed the British oil company to halt its dividend payments and fork out greater compensation for American workers and companies devastated by the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

By Mark Bruno
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS JUN 24, 2010
How the Dow's decline will change your elevator speech

Business propositions that center on making money through investing is out of sync with the times.

By Bloomberg
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING JUN 24, 2010
IN's Cooper: Why investors will rarely see the gorilla in the room

Rational markets? Hardly. In reality, humans tend to have a narrow focus -- often missing the obvious

By Bloomberg
NEWS RIAS JUN 24, 2010
Investors in Gundlach's old TCW funds given choice of sticking or kicking

TCW Asset Management has given investors in its Special Mortgage Credits Fund I and II until Feb. 19 to decide whether to liquidate their investments.

By Christine Williamson
Despite tough economy, advisers are still giving
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING JUN 24, 2010
Despite tough economy, advisers are still giving

As soon as he heard that 13-year-old Margaret Hurt was in danger of losing the horse she had been riding since becoming sick with leukemia two years ago, Preston Byers agreed to donate $6,000 to help her buy Hoochie.

By Lisa Shidler