SHORT INTERESTS: TIPS, TRENDS, OBSERVATIONS

Over the hill

More than 40% of chief executives around the world say their companies take into account an aging work force in long-term plans, according to a recent survey by actuarial consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide.

Evidently, there is good reason for doing so. The survey found that 88% of the 773 respondents see a link between workers’ age and productivity. CEOs, on average, believe productivity peaks about age 43 and doesn’t slip for 15 years.

“The leading edge of the baby boom generation is fast approaching the age when executives say productivity begins to fall off,” George Bailey, global director in San Francisco of Watson Wyatt’s Human Capital Group, tells InvestmentNews sister publication Pensions & Investments.

“But early retirement en masse for this huge demographic group isn’t an option. Companies cannot afford to lose so much talent and experience all at once, especially when there are comparably fewer younger workers to take their place.”

Catch a rising star

It’s all the buzz in Hollywood. Launched late last month, the BUZZ growth-and-income fund — the brainchild of BUZZ Weekly magazine — invests in Howard Stern’s untitled film project, the upcoming Godzilla film and even the popularity of period piece-picture persona Helena Bonham-Carter.

But you don’t have to write a check to cash in. Just to log on to www.hsx.com.

Don’t be fooled though: the BUZZ Fund, along with MovieStocks and StarBonds, is traded on the fictitious Hollywood Stock Exchange. It’s a game for World Wide Web surfers, but movie marketers take the trading seriously, an exchange spokesman says.

What price fame? A star’s value is determined by free market forces. Participants are given $2 million of Hollywood money to invest.

With the market cap heavily weighted to “Titanic,” last week, shares of “Grease”plunged $1.75 to $33.25 a share — because traders are betting that the rereleased musical will take in less than they had expected in its first four weeks.

In fixed-income news, the value of Matthew McConaughey’s bonds jumped $40 to $979. Those who invested in Leonardo DiCaprio bonds six months ago are rolling in Hollywood dollars.

Savings campaign debut

The Employee Benefit Research Institute and the American Savings Education Council have joined forces with Washington-area TV and radio stations for public service announcements to encourage saving for retirement. They’re even sponsoring a one-hour news special.

“We see this campaign as setting the stage for the national dialogue that will take place early this summer,” says council president Don Blandin.

The Washington portion of the campaign is underwritten by — you guessed it — the nation’s No. 1 mutual fund company, Fidelity Investments.