Products November 11, 2009

Fidelity Introduces Market Intelligence Program for Advisers

Fidelity Investments has rolled out a program to give financial advisers and brokers access to market intelligence and industry insights about topics such as retirement planning.

Reported by

The Insight & Outlook program is offered through Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services, Fidelity’s custody business for registered investment advisers (RIAs), and correspondent clearing business, National Financial.

One of the resources Fidelity offers is the Monday Wake-Up Call, a weekly conference call featuring strategists from Fidelity Capital Markets, the institutional trading arm of Fidelity. On the calls, Fidelity clients hear a review of the equity and fixed-income markets directly from the trading floor.

Fidelity said Insight & Outlook also gives advisers and broker/dealers access to resources that are updated to reflect market developments and industry trends, such as:

  • market analysis—in-depth studies and analyses developed by specialists from Fidelity Capital Markets and Fidelity’s Market Analysis, Research and Education (MARE) group, a unit of Fidelity Management & Research Company;
  • business insights—strategies that can help make it easier for advisers to identify opportunities for growth or learn more about industry trends.
  • industry research—Fidelity-commissioned research and white papers on topics such as retirement planning and investor attitudes and behaviors.




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The Markets November 10, 2009

J.P.Morgan Chase Reinstates Match, Lifts Salary Freeze

Saying the company "will continue to be committed to being highly competitive and paying for performance," J.P.Morgan Chase's Director of HR John Donnelly informed employees that 401(k) match and salary increases would begin again.

Reported by

The company decided to reverse its decision earlier this year to suspend the 401(k) match, and to contribute matching contributions for the full 2009 year, according to Donnelly’s memo to employees. In addition, J.P.Morgan will grant a one-time $500 special award early next year to employees globally with total annual cash compensation of less than $60,000.

Donnelly said that in the United States, this will be made as a contribution to the 401(k) Savings Plan, while outside the United States, it will be paid through local payroll. The firm also decided to continue providing a pension plan for U.S. employees, though it will modify the benefits formula next year to be more aligned with the current market, the memo said.

Donnelly announced the salary freeze for all employees earning above $60,000, put in place last year, would be lifted, with raises effective early in 2010.

J.P.Morgan paid back $25 billion of government bailout funds in June, and therefore is not subject to compensation limits like financial firms where the U.S. still owns stakes.

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