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08/29/2010 05:05 PM
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Special Report: What advisers really think about insurance
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Investment advisers' confidence in the financial health of the insurance industry and#8212; though still underwhelming and#8212; is on the rebound
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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A renewed confidence
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Investment advisers' confidence in the financial health of the insurance industry and#8212; though still underwhelming and#8212; is on the rebound, according to the InvestmentNews 2010 Insurance Product Survey.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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A flight to safety
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Stock market volatility has caused some advisers to shy away from the sexiest life insurance policies and#8212; variable universal life and variable life and#8212; and to steer clients to a tamer cousin, universal life.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Insurers 'dodge a bullet'
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Although the implosion of insurance giant American International Group Inc. played a big part in the U.S. financial collapse in 2008, the insurance industry has pretty much emerged unscathed from efforts to crack down on the financial services industry.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Advisers craft deflation-safe portfolios
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Fearing that Japan-like deflation may be coming to the United States, some money managers and financial advisers are building portfolios that can withstand falling prices and contracting credit.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Reps working hard to calm panicky investors
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The uncertain economic recovery and stock market volatility, which have driven many equity investors to the bond market, are leading advisers to do intensive client hand-holding.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Budget battles could crimp SEC's plans
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Lawmakers have given the SEC twelve months to perform a slew of studies and propose scores of rule changes. Can it meet the deadlines? Probably, if the agency's plumped-up budget gets approved by Congress-- and soon. That's a big if.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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No profit in talking politics with clients
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For many advisers, politics ranks right up there with sex and religion as a topic to avoid when talking with clients.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Raymond James pays more auction rate claims
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For the third time this summer, securities industry arbitrators have ordered brokerage units of Raymond James Financial Inc. to return money to clients who brought claims over frozen auction rate securities.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Will the SEC's 12(b)-1 plan smack Legg Mason?
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The SEC's proposed revision of mutual fund fees has yet to be finalized, but analysts are already analyzing on how reform may affect some fund companies.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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John Hancock to offer 'to' and 'through' target-date funds
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In a bid to grab a bigger slice of the highly competitive retirement plan market, John Hancock last week became the first provider to offer 401(k) participants a choice between target date funds that are constructed to take investors and#8220;to retirementand#8221; or and#8220;through retirement.and#8221;
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Northwestern may be ready to sell Russell
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Management at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. has decided that Russell Investments is not a core asset and is seriously considering putting the $140 billion asset manager up for sale, according to a number of investment bankers and industry observers.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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Target date turnover troubles big firms
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Target date funds run by MFS Investment Management, Putnam Investments and other big mutual fund companies exhibit higher-than-average turnover, raising concerns over whether investors, or their advisers, are aware of the funds' composition.
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08/29/2010 11:01 AM
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The Hartford embarks on restructuring
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The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is disbanding its distribution arm, Hartford Life Distributors, and decentralizing its wholesalers among four recently established business units.
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