2011 has been an awfully eventful year for advisers and reps -- some good, some bad. But what were <i>the</i> biggest stories of the year? Here are our top ten picks, including a No.1 that might surprise.
Thank you, Judge Jed Rakoff, for insisting that the SEC and big financial services firms come clean with the facts surrounding their legal battles before asking courts to sign off on a settlement.
Rainey sees big gains to be made off market gyrations, overreactions
Named CEO of Swiss bank's Americas unit; wealth management side gaining clout
The former chief executive officer of UBS AG's wealth-management unit in the U.K., said he was “confused” by the British finance regulator's attempt to fine him for failing to prevent unauthorized trading.
The biggest bond gains in almost a decade have pushed returns on Treasuries above stocks over the past 30 years, the first time that's happened since before the Civil War.
An economic slowdown remains the No. 1 risk facing businesses, according to Aon Corp.'s biennial Global Risk Management Survey of global risk managers and chief financial officers
It's been a long road, but Regions Financial has finally found a buyer for its brokerage unit. Raymond James will purchase the B-D for -- get this -- $930 million in cash and a $250 million dividend.
Sun Life's recent exit from the variable annuity business is just the latest sign that carriers aren't thrilled by the risks such long-term investments carry. With several insurers backing out of the business, and others reining in benefits and raising prices, 2011 may go down as the year of the vanishing VA | <b>Extra</b> <a href=http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=CI&Date=20110912&Category=FREE&ArtNo=912009999&Ref=PH?>Advisers favorite VA providers &raquo;</a>
Placement agencies can't keep up with demand; new clients 'sitting on piles of money'
Thirty-year fixed back to 4%; move away from Treasuries could hike rates further
<i>*The MSSB Global Investment Committee includes: Chief Investment Officer, David M. Darst;Chief Investment Strategist, Kevin Flanagan; Chief Fixed Income Strategist Jonathan Mackay; Senior Fixed Income Strategist, Charles Reinhard; Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Douglas Schindewolf, Director of Asset Allocation.</i>
The Labor Department has finalized a rule aimed at deterring financial advisers from receiving additional compensation based on the funds they choose for retirement plans
The risk of recession in the US and the rest of the developed world has grown significantly in recent weeks, so we are adopting an overweight position in safe havens and an underweight position in risk assets.
Carrier being sued for allegedly retaining life insurance payouts, pocketing the float
A continuing three-year, 35-state investigation into the practices by which life insurers pay death benefits may spawn more-stringent requirements for locating beneficiaries
Financial advisers have begun to incorporate video into their marketing as a key client communication and business development tool.
Like E.F. Hutton, PaineWebber and Dean Witter, the venerable name of Smith Barney is likely to be relegated to the ash heap of Wall Street history
Whopping bonuses, exorbitant salaries encouraged risk-taking, leverage; 'poachers better paid than the game-keepers'
Shlomo Benartzi has always had a knack for figuring out what motivates people. For example, when he was in elementary school in Israel, he quickly figured out how to escape the boredom of a typical math class.
