Investment News articles from June 2007

Investment News archives from June 2007

Part of brain may be resisting financial planning; Advisers should appeal to the prefrontal cortex, avoid the limbic system.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Gary S. Mogel NEW YORK - Advisers hoping to convince clients that they need a long-term financial plan should do their best to appeal to the prefrontal cortex of their clients' brains - and steer clear of the limbic system...

Banks targeted by hordes of cybersquatters.(Short Interests)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Kevin Shin NEW YORK - More than 10,000 "cybersquatting'' domains are infringing on the trademarks of 10 of the top U.S. retail-bank websites, according to CitizenHawk Inc., a provider of digital brand management solutions. ...

Want CPA referrals? Then think like a CPA.(Marketing Strategies)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Libby Dubick Any financial adviser who has tried to attract referrals from certified public accountants knows how frustrating - and often fruitless - that exercise can be. I once worked with an adviser at the investment...

Elder care becoming focus for advisers; They are expanding networks of professionals to include specialists.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Deborah Nason NEW YORK - The needs of aging clients and their aging parents are compelling financial advisers to become more knowledgeable about elder-care issues. Consequently, advisers are expanding their professional...

SMAs may reap rewards post-exemption rule; Likely to capture assets in fee-based accounts.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Jeff Benjamin DETROIT - The separately managed accounts industry is likely to benefit from the recent setting aside of the broker-dealer exemption rule, which will send $300 billion worth of fee-based brokerage account assets...

ETFs are finding favor among brokers; Reversal of broker-dealer exemption rule, regulatory scrutiny seen fueling their acceptance.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: David Hoffman PHILADELPHIA - The recent setting aside of the broker-dealer exemption rule could make the brokerage community one of the hottest markets for exchange traded funds - a dramatic reversal from the way ETFs were viewed...

Looking for an alter-neigh-tive investment? Racehorse ownership `a long-term project'.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Darla Mercado What has four feet, lives in a stable and could be your next investment? With the 139th Belmont Stakes coming up this Saturday, horse money can be found not just at the betting window but also in the...

Penny earned not always penny saved.(Short Interests)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Darla Mercado NEW YORK - Earning a six- figure salary doesn't ensure that a person will save money, according to the HSBC Direct Consumer Survey. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed who earned between $200,000 and $249,000...

Auto-enrollment eyed for federal workers; New employees would have to opt out of retirement plan.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Kathie O'Donnell BOSTON - A retirement savings plan that covers more than 3.7 million federal workers may take a page from an increasing number of corporate 401(k) plan sponsors and institute automatic enrollment. If adopted,...

Fidelity CEO eases requirements for adviser biz's profit margins; Johnson's move intended to allow for more technology spending.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Brooke Southall SAN FRANCISCO - Edward C. "Ned'' Johnson III has given the adviser services business at Fidelity Investments approval to loosen temporarily constraints on its profit margins in a bid to gain market share among...

A.G. Edwards brokers mull life after acquisition; $6.8 billion deal may herald demise of close-knit corporate culture.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Bruce Kelly NEW YORK - Bracing for change, registered representatives at A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. last week met the news that they are being acquired by Wachovia Corp. with a range of opinions. "There's a little twinge of...

BofA sets up advisory biz for ultrarich; Hopes to retain top U.S. Trust clients after merger closes.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Charles Paikert NEW YORK - Bank of America Corp. is counting on a new advisory business to help retain ultrahigh-net-worth clients once its $3.3 billion deal to acquire U.S. Trust Corp. from San Francisco-based Charles Schwab Corp....

Closing quote.(Reverse Spin)
June 4, 2007... "It should be the gravy, but some advisers are allowing it to be the meat.'' -Rebecca Pomering, a principal with Moss Adams LLP of Seattle, on the inflated amounts of bonus money independent-contractor broker-dealers are using to lure recruits....

At the bell.
June 4, 2007... Spending up in April; job data strong in May Consumers continued to spend in April, while employment numbers grew last month, signaling that the economy still is growing, albeit slowly. Spending by consumers edged up 0.5%, higher than...

More consumer education needed on HSAs; Many are clueless about how the accounts work.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Gary S. Mogel NEW YORK - A key roadblock to health savings account acceptance is that many people know little or nothing about HSAs and their required high-deductible health insurance plans, according to industry experts. The...

Adviser roll-up turns to private equity; Aims to consolidate 50 practices with assets of up to $500M.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Brooke Southall SAN FRANCISCO - Hoping to attract some of the torrent of private-equity capital showering Wall Street, a financial adviser in suburban St. Louis is looking to bundle his brethren's practices and sell them en masse...

With Ruediger 'Rudy' Adolf of Focus Financial Partners.(One on One)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Charles Paikert Ruediger "Rudy'' Adolf has been buying into some of the country's most prestigious independent advisory firms over the past three years as founder and chief executive of Focus Financial Partners LLC in New York. ...

The Hartford launches three mutual funds; Ties to Wellington benefit the fund firm, analyst says.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Kathie O'Donnell BOSTON - The Hartford Mutual Funds, where assets have more than quadrupled since 2000, added three funds last week, including two requested specifically by financial advisers. The new offerings - a fund of...

Delay on broker-dealer rule is warranted.(Editorials)
June 4, 2007... The Securities and Exchange Commission has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to delay until Oct. 1 the implementation of a ruling that throws out the agency's broker-dealer exemption. The request is...

Taking high road to investment gains.(Reverse Spin)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Charles Paikert Investing is well known for having countless metrics, but let's face it: Adviser morality and integrity were never up there with capital gains or yield. Findings of a study commissioned by Minneapolis-based...

Should advisers be fiduciaries? Yes.(Other Views: Point/)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Charles W. Austin Jr. In an article regarding the broker-dealer exemption rule ("Battle lines drawn on appeal of broker ruling,'' InvestmentNews, May 7), Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association president and chief...

Consider the load when comparing fund costs.(The Markets)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Tom Roseen Although a fund's load is not explicitly included in the total expense ratio, it does play a role in what the fund's investors are charged each year. A fund's total expense ratio includes management fees,...

Check out this tabloid tale; National Enquirer heir's trust battle mirrors those of less wealthy families.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Lisa Shidler CHICAGO - The son of former National Enquirer owner Generoso Pope Jr. is fighting his mother in a battle that has all of the makings of a story that the elder Mr. Pope might have splashed over the cover of his lurid...

Calendar.
June 4, 2007... JUNE 6-8 - INSITE 2007: Pershing's Financial Products and Services Conference, Pershing LLC. The Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa, Hollywood, Fla. (201)413-4746 or insite2007.com. 7 - Legal and Regulatory Affairs Conference, The Money...

Buffett takes bids.(Short Interests)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Brooke Southall SAN FRANCISCO - Is one hour with Warren E. Buffett worth more than $600,000? For the fourth consecutive year, bidders in a charity auction - which will take place June 24-29 on eBay - will determine the value of...

Canada will allow deductions for foreign acquisitions; Cross-border transactions account for 37% of deals, according to research.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: David Clarke OTTAWA - A funny thing happened on the way to a "hollowed out'' corporate Canada. Instead of foreigners' taking over Canadian companies and moving top jobs and decision making offshore (InvestmentNews, March 26),...

Fiserv ISS deal secures No. 3 spot for TD Ameritrade; Move seen as a way to distance custodian from the competition.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Brooke Southall SAN FRANCISCO - With its planned $225 million cash purchase of Fiserv Inc.'s custody business, announced May 24, TD Ameritrade is trying to do more than solidify its hold on the No. 3 position among RIA asset...

Life insurers cite savings from federal oversight.(Short Interests)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Sara Hansard WASHINGTON - Life insurance costs could be reduced by $5.7 billion a year if legislation allowing federal regulation is adopted, according to a study sponsored by the American Council of Life Insurers. The...

Krawcheck vows to cut Smith Barney red tape.(Short Interests)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Dan Jamieson IRVINE, Calif. - Sallie Krawcheck knows that Smith Barney's sales force has been frustrated. In a memorandum to the firm's representatives, she acknowledged that brokers have faced impediments to doing business....

Does 'principles based' mean more risk? Ambiguity seen as fuel for regulatory second-guessing.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Dan Jamieson IRVINE, Calif. - Principles-based rules won't be a panacea for financial services and, in fact, could create more regulatory risk, some industry observers say. The concept of flexible rules is being pushed hard by...

Use of insurance for M&A deals growing; `Transaction facilitation' policies ultimately protect investors.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Gary S. Mogel NEW YORK - The fear of mergers-and-acquisition agreements' going sour increasingly is being eased by insurance, according to industry experts. With private-equity and other M&A activity gaining steam,...

Indie firms sweeten deals for recruits; LPL, others are increasing transition, bonus money.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Bruce Kelly NEW YORK - Faced with intense competition for financial advisers and growing transition costs, an increasing number of independent-contractor broker-dealers over the past year have boosted the amount of money they give...

CFP Board emphasizes fiduciary responsibility; Revision raises standards for certificants.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Aaron Siegel NEW YORK - The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. has adopted a revised version of its standards of professional conduct, placing a greater emphasis on the importance of fiduciary responsibility. ...

Trade groups facing off over stable-value funds; Their use as a 401(k) default option debated.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Sara Hansard WASHINGTON - The Investment Company Institute last week fought back against the life insurance industry's attempt to get stable-value funds included as 401(k) default investment options. In a letter to Susan...

American Century to bolster adviser-sold menu; Also taking steps to standardize pricing elsewhere.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Kathie O'Donnell BOSTON - In an effort to reverse outflows and attract new assets, American Century Investments is stepping up its efforts to sell mutual funds through financial advisers. The Kansas City, Mo.-based fund company...

Doing good doesn't necessarily mean doing well; Shareholder proxies up, but screens can hamper funds.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Darla Mercado NEW YORK - Although institutional investors have hopped on the socially conscious investing bandwagon, individual investors may be wondering whether it really pays to allow their conscience to dictate their investment...

Life cycle portfolios catching on in variable products; Growing twice as fast as mutual fund versions.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Lisa Shidler CHICAGO - Life cycle fever seems to be spreading from 401(k) plans to variable annuities. At ING Variable Annuities, for instance, assets in LifeStyle portfolios - which were introduced as ING-managed subaccounts...

Time is right to recast 12(b)-1 fees.(Editorials)
June 4, 2007... Nobody ever said the folks at the Securities and Exchange Commission had an easy job, and the degree of difficulty is likely to increase. Besides dealing with the hoopla surrounding the ruling on the broker- dealer exemption, the SEC said...

Opinion poll.
June 4, 2007... Previously, we asked you: How far away is a meaningful recovery in home sales and values? A. Less than one year: 5.1% B. One to two years - 36.4% C. Two to four years - 39.5% D. Four to six years - 12.3% E. More than six...

Manager: Dividend strategy pays despite recent history.(Street Wise)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Jeff Benjamin Despite the fact that dividend payouts have declined over the past 20 years, investing for dividends remains a solid strategy, according to George Schwartz, president of Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. in Bloomfield...

Mutual funds herdlike in director voting, study says; Fund managers fear retaliation by companies.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: David Hoffman PHILADELPHIA - When it comes to voting their proxies in elections for corporate directors, mutual fund companies prefer not to stand out from the crowd. In fact, fund firms tend to "feel out'' what other firms...

No cure for disorder that affects CEOs.(Monday Morning)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Evan Cooper Memo to all financial advisers: There is a crisis sweeping corporate America, one that threatens our nation's economic competitiveness and, as a result, the financial well-being of your clients. I am speaking of...

Should advisers be fiduciaries? No.(Other Views: Counterpoint)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Ira Hammerman The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association is often like any large and diverse family whose members have divergent and sometimes conflicting points of view. So it is with fee-based accounts. We...

401(k)s pose challenges for advisers; Plan sponsors more demanding, white paper finds.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Lisa Shidler CHICAGO - According to a new white paper, although 83% of plan sponsors who used financial advisers were very satisfied with them, 42% of surveyed sponsors didn't even use one. That creates a huge opportunity for...

FSI girds for battle over 12(b)-1 fees; Trade group's goal: Protect member firms.(News)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Bruce Kelly NEW YORK - The Financial Services Institute Inc. is gearing up for a fracas with regulators over the highly contentious issue of 12(b)-1 fees, an embedded annual charge in almost all mutual funds. The 12(b)-1 fees...

Regulators see risks in new products for boomers; NASD officials, others lay out their concerns during panel discussion.(News)(Discussion)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Dan Jamieson CHICAGO - Wall Street's eagerness to develop and sell exotic new products to the nation's growing ranks of retirees is worrying regulators. A number of top regulatory officials laid out their concerns here during...

Qualified-default-investment alternatives and you; First of two parts.(Fiduciary Corner)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Donald B. Trone The 2006 Pension Protection Act and subsequent Department of Labor guidance provide for two new fiduciary safe-harborlike procedures for plan sponsors seeking relief from investment decisions associated with...

Web traffic report.(Short Interests)
June 4, 2007... Top 10 stories viewed on investmentnews.com (May 25-May 31) 1 SEC to spotlight 12(b)-1 fees: The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced a round-table discussion June 19 on 12(b)-1 fees. 2 TD Ameritrade inks deal for Fiserv...

Wall Street's new version of the gold watch.(Monday Morning)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Bruce Kelly It seems that times are so good for top women in the financial advice business that some of them no longer have to bother with work - or so we're led to believe. Consider the experiences of two of the most prominent...

Rollbacks on financial advice? Wal-Mart shifts focus with broker alliance.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Jeff Benjamin DETROIT - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is taking another crack at expanding its financial services business by partnering with a discount- brokerage platform that potentially could move the world's largest retailer closer to...

Tax on income trusts is likely here to stay; But foreign investors don't seem to mind.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: David Clarke OTTAWA - The House of Commons Finance Committee has voted down a measure that would have provided for a 10-year delay in taxing companies with an income trust structure. Pending an election, the May 30 vote spells...

Funds still too eager to appease management.(Editorial)
June 11, 2007... Mutual fund companies seem to be willing to challenge corporate management on some governance issues, but there still is a way to go before they will be seen as pulling their weight. And some companies still vote with management far too...

SnapShot.(One on One)
June 11, 2007... Kurt N. Schacht, 52, managing director of the Centre for Financial Market Integrity, a unit of the CFA Institute in Charlottesville, Va., since November 2004 Career: 2001-04, general counsel and chief operating officer, Wyser-Pratte Man-...

Shrink for the wealthy.(Short Interests)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Charles Paikert NEW YORK - Wealthy people may have a lot of money, but they also have a really hard time talking about it, according to Szifra Birke, a licensed therapist with a specialty in "wealth counseling.'' She was put...

Firms look to profit from end of broker-dealer rule; Tutoring companies, software makers angle for new business.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Darla Mercado NEW YORK - Companies that provide training and manufacture software aimed at investment advisers expect to cash in on the recent demise of the broker-dealer exemption rule. That's because the rescission of the...

Vanguard bonus increase may hit 11-year high; Even so, firm's goal of $100 a unit likely to remain elusive.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Kathie O'Donnell BOSTON - Thanks to a banner year on Wall Street, the 2006 bonus increase for employees at The Vanguard Group Inc. could be the biggest in more than a decade. Vanguard, the nation's second-largest mutual fund...

ETF giant launches 401(k) plan invasion; New software platform has Barclays' support.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: David Hoffman PHILADELPHIA - With help from Barclays Global Investors, a California 401(k) record keeper has created a new platform intended to break the mutual fund stranglehold on the 401(k) market. BenefitStreet Inc....

Wachovia deal likely to heat competition; Purchase of A.G. Edwards would decrease outlets for mutual fund firms.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Kathie O'Donnell BOSTON - Wachovia Corp.'s planned $6.8 billion purchase of A.G. Edwards Inc. could make an already competitive sales game even tougher for U.S. mutual fund firms, some analysts said. The deal between the two...

It is high noon for 12(b)-1 fees; SEC round table expected to highlight all views.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Sara Hansard WASHINGTON - The SEC plans to decide by the end of the year whether to reform 12(b)-1 fees or eliminate them altogether, and proponents of both alternatives are poised to try swaying its decision. The fees' fate...

A.G. Edwards reps await retention package; Emotions run high as merger plans unfold.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Bruce Kelly NEW YORK - Wachovia Corp. last week put the finishing touches on its retention package for brokers with A.G. Edwards Inc., and the company plans to announce details as early as today or as late as Wednesday. ...

Settlement pay coming, Smith Barney reps told; But wait might last at least till November.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Dan Jamieson IRVINE, Calif. - Smith Barney reps are wondering when they'll get their payments from the wage-and-hour lawsuit the firm agreed to settle in May 2006 for $98 million. Be patient, the firm told them in a memo last...

Ratios lower, but expenses and taxes remain a drag.(The Markets)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Tom Roseen With U.S. bond prices still under pressure from Federal Reserve monetary policymakers, and higher yields abroad, fixed-income investors should keep their eyes on recurring drags on fund performance: expenses and taxes....

Bronx poor to receive financial training.(Short Interests)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Aaron Siegel NEW YORK - Capital One Financial Corp. has donated $25,000 to National Student Partnerships to help impoverished families in New York City's Bronx borough to learn more about personal finance. The initiative will...

Inflation emerges as early summer scare.(Reverse Spin)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Charles Paikert Inflation clearly was the keyword of the week, as fears of rising prices sent stocks tumbling and forced pundits to try to explain it all. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke helped get the ball rolling last...

M&A seen dominating life insurance industry.(Conference Calls)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Gary S. Mogel NEW YORK - Mergers and the battle to maintain market share will dominate the agendas of many life insurers over the next 12 to 18 months, according to analysts and company executives at a Standard & Poor's insurance...

Congress seeks comment on cost basis reporting; New stipulations to proposed regulation added in Senate.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Sara Hansard WASHINGTON - The Senate Finance Committee has taken the unusual step of asking for public comment on a legislative proposal for a bill that would require brokers and mutual funds to report the cost bases of their...

Tensions mount up north.(Short Interests)
June 11, 2007... Byline: David Clarke OTTAWA - The minority Conservative government should immediately review the rules governing foreign takeovers, Stephane Dion, leader of the opposition in the House of Commons, said late last month. "The Investment...

NASD opts to maintain its OSJ definition; Drops revamp proposal after receiving negative comments from members.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Dan Jamieson IRVINE, Calif. - NASD has dropped a controversial proposal to revamp its branch office definitions. The idea, floated in February as a notice to members, would have done away with the well- established definition...

Ignoring risk is the ultimate risk, family-office professionals told.(Conference Calls)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Charles Paikert CHICAGO - Family-office professionals at the Family Office Forum here last week were warned about the dangers of not paying enough attention to the risks related to investments and governance. "The ultimate...

Elderly more open to selling life policies; But dearth of regulation worries advisers, NASD.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Lisa Shidler CHICAGO - To add reserves to their retirement nest egg, more elderly people are considering the sale of existing life insurance policies, financial advisers say. But advisers and Washington-based NASD are warning...

Affluent feel secure, but many lack an adviser; Most who use one say they are satisfied, Phoenix study finds.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Aaron Siegel NEW YORK - Although most millionaires feel that their wealth is "extremely secure,'' many still have not found the kind of financial advice that suits their needs. According to the annual wealth survey by The...

Bull's-eye stamped on Rydex; Fund firm has been in talks with suitors, insiders confirm.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: David Hoffman PHILADELPHIA - Rydex Investments has been in discussions with some suitors about being acquired, according to industry sources. Two executives, who asked not to be identified, confirmed that they worked on behalf...

IRS ices tactic used by holders of fee accounts; Considers fees as expenses rather than carrying charges.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Lisa Shidler CHICAGO - The IRS has put a damper on a tax saving strategy that has been used by some investors with fee-based accounts. In a recently released memo of guidance aimed at helping its agents, the Internal Revenue...

SSgA sweetens pay for wholesalers on ETFs; Chasing Barclays, it lowers other payouts.(News)(Company overview)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Brooke Southall SAN FRANCISCO - In an effort to catch industry leader Barclays Global Investors, State Street Global Advisors has raised the wholesalers' compensation for effecting the sale of exchange traded funds and lowered the...

FPA helps planners hit by hurricanes.(Short Interests)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Aaron Siegel NEW YORK - The Financial Planning Association will host a free half-day workshop this Friday for planners in the Gulf Coast states who are still picking up the pieces from the 2005 hurricane season. The workshop is...

Avoiding diversification in favor of focus on best ideas.(Street Wise)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Jeff Benjamin From Geoff McDonald's perspective, diversification equals dilution and, ultimately, increased risk. He manages the $290 million AIM Trimark Endeavor Fund (ATDAX) for AIM Trimark Investments, a Toronto-based...

Closing quote.(Reverse Spin)
June 11, 2007... "SSgA thought BGI would fumble the ball, and now they're saying, `We've got to hustle.''' -Kim Arthur, managing director of Main Management LLC of San Francisco, on State Street Global Advisors' decision to raise wholesalers' compensation for...

At the bell.
June 11, 2007... Adviser fees a mystery to many clients Just 43% of investors said they understood their adviser's fee structure "completely'' or "fairly well,'' according to a survey by Boston-based State Street Corp.'s investment management arm, and...

New exchange traded note tracks covered calls; Barclays product uses buy-write strategy for covered calls.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: David Hoffman PHILADELPHIA - In a further sign of how exchange traded products are chasing more exotic strategies, Barclays Bank PLC of London has unveiled an exchange traded note that provides investors with exposure to a...

Why target practice equals financial malpractice.(Other Views)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Laurence J. Kotlikoff Whether we want to admit it or not, most of us are financially sick. We overspend, underinsure, invest on hot tips, gamble, max out our credit cards, get hooked on Starbucks and spend as little time as...

Suit alleges misuse of sweep programs; Class action targets Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney, Schwab.(News)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Dan Jamieson IRVINE, Calif. - Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney and Charles Schwab are being sued for allegedly illegally forcing clients into lower paying deposit accounts, enabling the firms to reap "billions'' in extra...

With Kurt Schacht of the CFA Centre for Financial Market Integrity.(One on One)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Dan Jamieson Few financial notables merit credibility as both industry expert and investor advocate. Kurt Schacht may be one of them. As New York-based executive director of the Centre for Financial Market Integrity, a...

Opinion poll.
June 11, 2007... Previously, we asked you: If A.G. Edwards Inc.'s decision to sell itself to Wachovia Corp. triggers more deals, which regional firm is most likely to be acquired? A. Edward Jones: 20% B. Raymond James Financial Inc.: 35% C. RBC...

Tripping over regulation.(Short Interests)
June 11, 2007... Byline: Gary S. Mogel NEW YORK - Too much regulation is the most slippery slope the global insurance industry faces, according to a new survey. Regulatory overkill breeds unnecessarily high costs, distracts management and creates...