Economy & Markets
The important economic and stock market news that advisors need to know.
Top Portfolio Products: BlackRock Launches 3 Funds; New Putnam Fund Seeks Total Return
By Marlene Y. SatterNew products introduced over the last week include three alternative investment funds from BlackRock, a new dynamic allocation fund from Putnam, and two Credit Suisse funds reorganized into Aberdeen funds.
October 07, 2011
Balanced Funds Performance ‘Statistically Equivalent’ During Recessions, Expansions: VanguardAverage returns for funds with an equal mix of stock and bond allocations have historically been 'statistically equivalent' during recessions and expansions, according to Vanguard. Vanguard studied balanced funds historical performance from 1926 through June 2009.
October 07, 2011
Top 10 Best Cities for Educated Job SeekersIn a tough job market it always helps to know some of the best places to find work. More educated members of the labor force will find more opportunities in some of these cities, where the demand for education narrows the field of applicants.
October 07, 2011
$20 Billion Seen in Weekly Fund Outflows, Report SaysEight of the nine major equity fund groups tracked by EPFR Global posted outflows during the week ending Oct. 5, the research group said Friday, as did six of the seven major fixed-income fund groups and five of the nine major sector fund groups that include ETFs.
October 07, 2011
Bipolar Jobs Report: Exceeds Expectations but Still DisappointsThe Labor Departments report of a 103,000 rise in payroll jobs in September exceeded analysts expectations, but increase is too tepid to sway high unemployment rate of 9.1%
October 07, 2011
Moody's Downgrades British BanksMoody's on Friday downgraded a dozen U.K. banks, including Lloyds TSB Bank, a unit of Lloyds Banking Group, and Royal Bank of Scotland, saying that there was increasing likelihood that smaller banks would be allowed to fail if troubles worsened.
October 07, 2011
Merkel, Sarkozy Battle Over Greek DefaultFrance and Germany have different ideas about how to help Greece. How the battle ends will have a major impact on the eurozone's future.
October 06, 2011
Bank of England Boosts QEFor the first time in nearly two years, the Bank of England increased its bond-buying program on Thursday, boosting the ceiling to 275 billion pounds ($421 billion) from 200 billion pounds as it said that slow growth worldwide and European unrest 'threaten the U.K. recovery.'