RIA News

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MSSB to pare workforce – but advisers not on the chopping block
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 07, 2011
MSSB to pare workforce – but advisers not on the chopping block

Morgan Stanley is planning to lay off 2.6% of its workforce, but reps at MSSB are safe. An insider, however, says the brokerage 'won't entirely escape the belt-tightening.'

By Andrew Osterland
ADVISOR NEWS REGULATION AND LEGISLATION DEC 07, 2011
Neuberger analyst put on leave amid probe

Neuberger Berman Group has put research analyst Fayad Abbasi on paid leave as it looks into insider-trading

By Doug Cubberley
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 07, 2011
Hark: Beware of Harkin tax plan

Investors, beware of the financial transactions tax proposed by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore

By MFXFeeder
ING to shutter registered indexed annuity
INVESTING LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 07, 2011
ING to shutter registered indexed annuity

ING Groep NV will close its registered indexed annuity to new sales Oct. 31 after a little more than a year.

By Darla Mercado
INVESTING LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 07, 2011
Critics fear government isn't promoting annuities enough

The government is hoping that its upcoming support for lifetime-income solutions such as annuities will encourage companies to add these options to their retirement plans for employees, but some worry that Uncle Sam isn't giving a big-enough push

By Liz Skinner
Supplies of natural gas bloated, but natural gas stocks still rising
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 07, 2011
Supplies of natural gas bloated, but natural gas stocks still rising

Index up 6.3% this year, far outstripping S&P 500; 'sweet spot'

By Jeff Benjamin
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 07, 2011
Here comes the sun: Solar to rival coal in two years

Gains in performance -- and cuts in manufacturing costs -- have dramatically lowered the cost of solar energy. In fact, experts say the sun will rival coal as a cheap power source within two years. Says one expert: 'We're very close to grid parity.' Advisers, take note.

By John Goff
Nuclear-power stocks suffer meltdown in wake of Japan quake
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 07, 2011
Nuclear-power stocks suffer meltdown in wake of Japan quake

But alternative-energy shares getting a boost from renewed fears about atomic energy.

By Jessica Toonkel
Will year-end be naughty or nice for investors?
INVESTING EQUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Will year-end be naughty or nice for investors?

History is on the side of a Santa Claus rally by the stock market at the end of the year, but the bigger issue is what it means for stocks next year if that year-end rally doesn't pan out.

By Jeff Benjamin
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Private-placement due diligence 'sloppy'

Broker-dealers that sold billions of dollars in allegedly fraudulent private placements failed massively in their due-diligence responsibilities to investors.

By Bruce Kelly
Obama nixes 3% withholding tax for government contractors
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Obama nixes 3% withholding tax for government contractors

President Barack Obama today signed into law a bill that would kill a withholding tax on government contractors even before it was levied for the first time.

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
Debate subtly shifting from whether to raise taxes — to how much
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Debate subtly shifting from whether to raise taxes — to how much

Republican lawmakers coming over to the idea that Uncle Sam must raise more revenue to make real impact on deficit; Grover Norquist not thrilled

By John Goff
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Advisers, regulators must heed MF's lessons

MF Global's bankruptcy illustrates again that excessive financial leverage is dangerous, that regulators must remain on high alert for dangerous situations and that they must act expeditiously when they perceive that a firm's leverage appears too high

By MFXFeeder
Variable annuity players join the fixed indexed annuity fray
INVESTING LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Variable annuity players join the fixed indexed annuity fray

Carriers that have been stalwarts in the variable annuity industry are trying their hand at manufacturing and selling fixed indexed annuities.

By Darla Mercado
Bill Gross: Prepare for 'disharmony'
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Bill Gross: Prepare for 'disharmony'

In many ways the global economic crisis is like a marriage gone bad.

By Bill Gross
Jeremy Grantham: What to buy
INVESTING EQUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Jeremy Grantham: What to buy

For those with a long horizon, I am sure well-managed forestry and farmland will outperform the average of all global assets.

By Jeremy Grantham
RIAS RIA NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Jeremy Grantham: A hierarchy of problems

With hindsight, there are a few additions and qualifications I would like to make regarding my letter on resources of <a href=http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110426/FREE/110429963>last quarter.</a> I will start with an overview of the prospects for our collective well-being: there is nothing about the resource limitation problem that we cannot resolve. We have the brain power and, especially, the inventiveness.

By Jeremy Grantham
Insurers' death benefit payout practices targeted
INVESTING LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Insurers' death benefit payout practices targeted

State regulators continue to investigate claims that life insurance carriers may be failing to pay out death benefits or submit the money to the state in a timely fashion. Not surprisingly, this has attracted the attention of tort lawyers.

By Darla Mercado
INVESTING LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Accidental death becomes suicide when insurers dodge payouts

Critics say it's smart for carriers to deny life insurance claims for allegedly spurious reasons. Why? Because they make money off the float.

By John Goff
ADVISOR NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 06, 2011
Skimpier living benefits could kill interest in VAs, advisers warn

Financial advisers are calling on insurers to enhance their suite of variable annuities, saying that clients are turned off by falling accrual rates on living benefits and insufficient investment choices

By Darla Mercado