ETF Asset Flows Had Turnaround in June
Morningstar reports that U.S. exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw inflows of $9.8 billion in June after outflows of $3.1 billion in May.
The Markets
Fewer Assets for Equal Income
A white paper from Prudential Retirement discusses what effect the incorporation of guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits (GMWBs) can have on retirement income and security.
ETF Assets Down in June
Month over month, exchange-traded fund (ETFs) assets fell $15.4 billion, down 1.4%, according to the State Street Global Advisors ETF Snapshot report.
PSNC 2011: "Committeed" Relationships
Deciding what investments should be included in a retirement plan’s menu and monitoring those investments is a huge amount of risk and liability for just one person; plan...
Fixed Income Funds Draw In Investors in May
Stock and bond funds experienced net inflows of $12.4 billion in May, according to Financial Research Corporation (FRC).
PSNC 2011: The “To” Versus “Through” Debate
Since the market downturn of 2008, there has been increasing debate on whether target-date funds (TDFs) should take retirement plan participants “to” retirement or “through” retirement.
Fund Managers Making Changes to TDF Management
Callan’s 2011 Target Date Fund Survey found that target-date funds (TDFs) continue to evolve as managers evaluate their glidepaths and the use of underlying funds.
REITs See 10% Returns in First Half of 2011
U.S. REITs continued to outperform the broader equity market in the second quarter and the first half of 2011, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment...
PSNC 2011: Glide Paths
With 12% of retirement plan assets in target-date funds and 40% of new assets going into target-date funds (TDFs), panelists at the PLANSPONSOR National Conference said it is...
Fund Allocations to Asia Stocks Decline
Stock markets in Asia are getting much less liquidity from mutual fund allocations compared to last year, according to global research firm Strategic Insight, an Asset International company.
Investor Confidence Index Takes Plunge
The Spectrem Affluent Investor Confidence Index fell 11 points in June, its biggest drop in more than three years.
Average 401(k) Expense Ratio Declines
According to an annual report by the Investment Company Institute (ICI), 401(k) plan participants invested in stock mutual funds on average paid lower expense ratios in 2010.
Investors Urged to Look Beyond Typical Measurements
Institutional investors should review information that goes beyond the typical scorecard when measuring the success of a portfolio or switching asset managers, according to a study from Mellon...
Manager Optimism Falls for Equities and Bonds
The latest Investment Management Outlook (IMO) survey from Russell Investments finds manager optimism regarding U.S. equities and bonds fell across the board.
Study Suggests Lifecycle Funds’ Equity Allocations too High
The first study by the newly launched Putnam Institute suggests most lifecycle fund offerings in today’s market are too aggressive in their equity exposure
J.P. Morgan to Sponsor PIMCO ETFs on Mexican Exchange
Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) selected J.P. Morgan to offer five of its U.S.-registered exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the Mexican Stock Exchange.
PSNC 2011: Building a Better Retirement Plan Menu
A panel at the PLANSPONSOR National Conference discussed best practices for building a better retirement plan investment menu.
Money Managers See Improved Year in 2010
A report from Strategic Insight indicates the 19 money managers with publicly held equity managed a total of $7.8 trillion at year-end 2010, up 10% from 2009.
Fidelity Releases Defined Maturity Funds
Fidelity Investments has launched the Fidelity Defined Maturity Funds, a series of actively managed national municipal income funds, each with a set maturity date.
Global Mutual Fund Industry on Track for another Record Year
Year-to-date global long-term fund flows through April 2011 reached $268 billion, according to Strategic Insight’s Global Mutual Fund Review.