PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES COMES UP WITH ONLINE BILLING

Prudential Securities Inc. in New York now offers its clients the option of receiving monthly bills through Prudential Online. The website, at www.prusec.com, allows daily access to portfolio allocations and account information and activity. Other features include the ability to communicate online with financial advisers, and to access a delayed-quote service which includes charts, portfolio monitors and market updates.

Cliff Notes version of privatization tome

The Cato Institute in Washington has published a 50-page paperback, “Common Cents, Common Dreams: A Layman’s Guide to Social Security Privatization,” by Peter J. Ferrara and Michael D. Tanner. Filled with pictures, graphs, and short features, it is a companion to “A New Deal for Social Security,” a more detailed volume by the same authors.

Growth fund rotates stocks within sectors

T.O. Richardson Co. in Farmington, Conn., has launched the no-load Sector Rotation Fund. The growth fund selects any sector for investment that is identified as positive for growth, and actively trades individual securities within each sector.

Transamerica website gets a rejuvenation

Transamerica Premier Funds in Los Angeles has redesigned its website at www.transamericafunds.com. New features include account look-up capability that allows current Premier Funds shareholders to view balances and recent activity. Each business day up-to-date fund information is posted and top fund holdings are updated quarterly. The site also offers profiles of fund managers and a bulletin board offering discussions in areas of financial planning.

Pacific Life launches 2 variable products

The annuities division of Pacific Life Insurance Co. in Newport Beach, Calif., has introduced Pacific Value, a variable annuity contract that applies a guaranteed credit enhancement of up to 5% on each purchase payment. For amounts less than $100,000, the credit is 3%; 4% from $100,000 to less than $2.5 million and 5% for $2.5 million or more. The contract also offers a choice of optional death benefit riders.

The company’s life insurance division has introduced Pacific Select Exec II, a variable universal life policy. It offers two fixed interest options and the ability to transfer from the fixed income account into any investment options.

Annuity has features for young and old

Federated Investors in Pittsburgh has introduced the Federated Triple Crown variable annuity. Young investors can benefit from a 1.2% mortality and expense risk fee, the company says, while older individuals profit from enhanced liquidity. Additional advantages include a “bull and bear” death benefit, which increases each year regardless of how the market performs, and no annual contract fee.

Software figures Roth eligibility

CDA/Wiesenberger in Rockville, Md., has launched IRA Analyst software designed to assist investment professionals in determining clients’ eligibility for IRAs and conversion to Roth IRAs. In addition, the program calculates taxes, the required minimum distributions for investors over age 70?, and the amount of IRA conversion tax.

One version of the program is available free at www.wiesenberger. com.

Equitable beefs up variable policy line

Equitable Distributors in New York, a subsidiary of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, has introduced Incentive Life Plus and Survivorship 2000, variable life insurance products with death benefit, withdrawal and loan provisions.

Web service delivers data on proxies, Y2K

Proxy Monitor in New York, a proxy voting adviser to institutional investors, has launched an Internet-based delivery service for proxy research, including portfolio reporting on Year 2000 compliance. By using their own web browser, visitors can easily access the website at www.theproxymonitor.com.

N.Y. Life to update participants online

New York Life Benefit Services Inc. in Norwood, Mass., now delivers personalized information to its customers. Subscribing participants in its 401(k) Complete plans have the option of receiving account information via e-mail weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The e-mail contains a link to the unit’s web site, www.bcomplete.com.

Warburg fund targets European large-caps

Warburg Pincus Funds in New York has launched the Warburg Pincus European Equity fund, to be run by portfolio managers at Credit Suisse Asset Management. The intent is to invest at least 80% of the no-load fund’s assets in the stocks of Western European companies, mainly larger ones.

Dow Jones guide profiles Chinese firms

Dow Jones & Co. in Princeton, N.J., has released the 1999 Dow Jones Guide to the Global Stock Market, a three-volume set that includes comprehensive profiles of companies in the Dow Jones Global Indexes. It also provides information on 88 publicly traded Chinese companies.

Here’s an online site all about the pits

Pit News in Logan, Utah, has developed a web site dedicated to educating about trading commodities, futures and options. The site, located at www.PitNews.com, offers links to daily market briefs and recommendations for buying and selling.

Foreign blue chips from T. Rowe Price

T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. in Baltimore has introduced the International Growth and Income fund, investing primarily in common stocks of large companies outside the United States. Investments in emerging markets are limited to mature developing countries.

Consultants starting their own periodical

The Investment Management Consultants Association in Denver has launched a twice-yearly publication, the Journal of Investment Consulting. It will be distributed to members free of charge for the first year; non-members will be charged $110.

Brewing up a tech version of the Dow

Guinness Flight Investment Management Ltd., a global asset management firm in Pasadena, Calif., has launched the Guinness Flight Wired Index Fund. The fund will invest in 40 new stocks in the Wired Index developed by Wired magazine. The fund is designed to track the information economy as the Dow Jones Industrial Average has tracked the industrial economy.

Founders adds online sales, redemptions

Founders Asset Management LLC in Denver has redesigned its website. Enhancements at www.founders.com include a shareholder account access area that allows purchases and redemptions online. The site also offers an investment planning center with access to interactive college and retirement savings calculators and portfolio trackers. Downloadable presentations are available to financial professionals in the “Ask the Portfolio Manager” section.

Four managers stir the broth

Evergreen Funds in Charlotte, N.C., in association with Massachusetts Financial Services, Oppenheimer Funds, and Putnam Investments, has developed the Evergreen Masters Fund, which invests at least 65% of its assets in stock. The fund, offered in A, B, C and Y classes, has a minimum investment of $1,000. Each management company will be responsible for one quarter of the portfolio.