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MUTUAL FUNDS AUG 25, 2009
Money market funds may suffer when federal backstops expire, J. P. Morgan exec fears

Money market mutual funds would benefit from a federal program to guard against the risk of illiquidity in the markets, analysts yesterday at the first Money Fund Symposium in Providence, R.I.

By Sue Asci
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES AUG 25, 2009
Hancock luring indies, ramps rep count up to nearly 2,000

Though rep recruitment is up at the John Hancock Financial Network since the firm decided to embrace the independent adviser channel, recruiters remain skeptical as to whether independents will continue to flock to the company.

By Darla Mercado
INDUSTRY NEWS AUG 25, 2009
Consumer sentiment improves more than expected

Consumer sentiment rose more than expected in August and expectations hit the highest level since the recession began, indications that Americans' pessimism about the economy may be lifting.

By Associated Press
INDUSTRY NEWS AUG 25, 2009
White House projects bigger deficits, bigger debt

White House officials project lingering high unemployment in the short term and a massive 10-year federal deficit of $9 trillion that feeds a ballooning national debt.

By Bloomberg
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES AUG 24, 2009
Individual and variable annuity sales tumbled in 2Q, LIMRA reports

Total individual-annuity sales tumbled during the second quarter as carriers' new business slowed and fixed-annuity interest rates fell, although sales for all fixed annuities fared better, according to data from LIMRA.

By Darla Mercado
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION AUG 24, 2009
No suit for you: Judge throws out $1B case against AIG

A federal judge in Chicago last week threw out a $1 billion lawsuit that accused AIG of committing fraud against insurance carriers in a workers' compensation pool.

By Darla Mercado
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES AUG 23, 2009
Phoenix unveils policy dubbed 'first-to-die'

A new life insurance product from The Phoenix Cos. Inc. covers two lives under one policy, providing a death benefit for a spouse or business partner.

By Darla Mercado
RIAS AUG 23, 2009
Don't make Swiss cheese of U.S. tax law

The U.S. government must continue its efforts to crack Switzerland's bank secrecy walls. Those barriers have helped perhaps hundreds of thousands of wealthy Americans shield at least some of their income from the Internal Revenue Service.

By MFXFeeder
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES AUG 23, 2009
Advisers at peace with NAIC proposal for more annuity rules

Although members of the insurance industry and some broker-dealer executives are butting heads with state regulators on tougher annuity regulation, financial advisers cheered the proposed use of Finra-esque suitability layers for all annuity sales.

By Darla Mercado
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION AUG 23, 2009
Finra sticks to its guns in flap about oversight of B-Ds dishing advice

Finra isn't backing down from its position that it has jurisdiction over broker-dealers' financial planning activities.

By Sara Hansard
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES AUG 23, 2009
Falling fixed-income values seen hurting insurers, survey finds

The declining value of fixed-income portfolios in a climate of rising interest rates will hinder life insurers' performance over the next two years.

By Darla Mercado
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION AUG 23, 2009
Finra gives Michigan firm the boot

Finra has expelled an investment firm in Southfield, Mich., for inappropriate practices that occurred in its retail foreign-currency business and repeated violations of registration and related rules, according to a statement.

By Sue Asci
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION AUG 23, 2009
Offshore banking on endangered list

Legitimate offshore banking by wealthy Americans may be the next casualty of the UBS AG tax evasion case.

By Charles Paikert
BROKER DEALERS AUG 23, 2009
LPL reps on Pershing platform are seeking new B-D homes

In the wake of a decision last month by LPL to bring in-house the clearing function at three subsidiary broker-dealers, about 200 financial advisers at those firms have moved to other firms or are planning to do so.

By Lisa Shidler
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION AUG 23, 2009
NBA star sues adviser over $2 million account transfers

Denver Nuggets basketball star Carmelo Anthony filed a lawsuit in federal court last week alleging that his former financial and business adviser transferred more than $2 million from his accounts without his knowledge or consent.

By Sue Asci
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION AUG 21, 2009
AIG fights lawsuit filed by customers who lost millions with Madoff

American International Group Inc. yesterday dismissed as “without merit” a lawsuit filed by two investors who claim the insurer should have covered the losses they suffered because they invested with Bernard L. Madoff.

By Bloomberg
RIAS AUG 21, 2009
$740M Morgan Stanley Smith Barney team bolts for independence

Another team of registered representatives who work with wealthy clients has turned its back on Wall Street to become independent registered investment advisers.

By Bruce Kelly
INDUSTRY NEWS AUG 21, 2009
USAdvisors Network joins Securities America

Independent broker-dealer Securities America Inc. has announced that USAdvisors Network LLC of Eden Prairie, Minn., has signed an agreement for its affiliated advisers and institutions to join the La Vista, Neb.-based firm.

By Bloomberg
REGULATION AND LEGISLATION AUG 20, 2009
Peeved about losses, Bahamas couple files $5M arbitration claim against Merrill

A securities arbitration claim of $5 million has been filed against Merrill Lynch by a Freeport, Bahamas couple who say the preferred financial company stocks the company sold them were unsuitable, according to the law firm representing the couple.

By Bloomberg
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES AUG 20, 2009
Rep. Henry Waxman asks Genworth, Guardian Life and MetLife for details on executives' pay

Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, is asking executives at Genworth Financial Inc., The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and MetLife Inc. to produce details on executives' pay.

By Darla Mercado