GRO May Be Balm for Investors' Fears.(Guaranteed Return Option annuity)(Brief Article)

As volatility turns the stock market into the shock market for many investors, interest is growing in products with "living benefits" that guarantee an annuity holder's nest egg. That trend hasn't escaped the notice of American Skandia, which has introduced a new variable annuity option that promises to allow investors to reap returns from the equity markets without losing the value of their initial investment. It also locks up gains made by their annuity contract. "With what investors have been through in the last 14 months, they've become reacquainted with the fear side of the fear-greed equation," observed Skandia VP for Variable Annuity Marketing Jac Herschler.

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