Several months ago, Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors Inc. surveyed the competitive landscape and decided it was time to make a change.
Last week's order that Next Financial Group Inc. stop violating privacy regulations when recruiting brokers upended a key tenet of independent-contractor broker-dealers: that independent representatives — and not broker-dealers — are at the center of the relationship with the clients.
"We would urge caution for investors attempting to call the bottom in the current environment," a Merrill strategist wrote.
Some international-equity managers are wondering whether the drop in the greenback will continue, while others are beginning to implement currency hedges to protect their portfolios against a rise in the U.S. dollar.
At a time when stock markets have been buoyed by some positive economic data, small-cap stocks have whipped their larger brethren over the past three months.
Market turmoil and rising interest rates might kick off a new season for the fixed annuity as the product emerges from the shadow of its variable cousin, an industry expert said.
Embedding annuities into target date funds might be the key to offering annuities as an investment option in 401(k) plans.
Despite criticism by some in the financial services industry, the Securities and Exchange Commission's proposals for reforming the credit rating agencies deserve a grade of B+.
Optimism characterizes management's thinking at the Natixis Vaughn Nelson Small Cap Value Fund (NEFJX).
It isn't just about taxes this time.
Charitable giving in the United States reached a record $306.4 billion in 2007, the Giving USA Foundation reported.
Mark J. Schlafly will lead two broker-dealers, FSC Securities Corp. and Advantage Capital Corp., both of Atlanta.
New York Life Insurance Co. has tapped Jon Stenberg to join the company as a senior vice president in the individual-life department.
A former UBS AG banker testified against the firm yesterday, claiming it participated in schemes to help hide $20 billion in assets and avoid income tax laws.
Pyramis Global Advisors announced yesterday that Kevin C. Uebelein has been named president and chief executive.
Ratings firm Moody's Investors Service has slashed the ratings of guarantors MBIA Inc. and Ambac Financial Group Inc., both of New York.
Findings from The Conference Board Inc.'s index of leading indicators show that an economic rebound may be on the horizon.
The policy, the Lifetime FlexPlus II, features premiums that are 3% to 5% lower than those of the original version.
The New York-based firm suffered a 61% second-quarter drop in profit but still beat analysts' expectations.
Pennsylvania Life Insurance has agreed to a $925,000 settlement following allegations of unsuitable annuity sales in Wisconsin.
