'Steady-as-you-go' rules the bond fund management game. (Milwaukee's money managers) (Industry Overview)

Milwaukee-area money managers were in the national mainstream during the three months recently ended for bond funds.

Compared to stocks, mainstream -- or just about any bond fund, for that matter -- looked awfully good. By Sept. 30, the bond funds had widened their nine-month lead over equity funds, 6.84 percent to 0.04 percent.

"Bonds overall have really done well," said Rick Jandrain, senior vice president and chief investment officer for trusts at Bank One Milwaukee N.A. "Certain sectors of the equity market have outperformed them, but growth funds are still down for the year."

Nationally, total returns for the broad array of domestic bond funds averaged …