Industry News

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NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 07, 2011
Here comes the sun: Solar to rival coal in two years

Gains in performance -- and cuts in manufacturing costs -- have dramatically lowered the cost of solar energy. In fact, experts say the sun will rival coal as a cheap power source within two years. Says one expert: 'We're very close to grid parity.' Advisers, take note.

By John Goff
Nuclear-power stocks suffer meltdown in wake of Japan quake
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 07, 2011
Nuclear-power stocks suffer meltdown in wake of Japan quake

But alternative-energy shares getting a boost from renewed fears about atomic energy.

By Jessica Toonkel
Will year-end be naughty or nice for investors?
NEWS EQUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Will year-end be naughty or nice for investors?

History is on the side of a Santa Claus rally by the stock market at the end of the year, but the bigger issue is what it means for stocks next year if that year-end rally doesn't pan out.

By Jeff Benjamin
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Private-placement due diligence 'sloppy'

Broker-dealers that sold billions of dollars in allegedly fraudulent private placements failed massively in their due-diligence responsibilities to investors.

By Bruce Kelly
Obama nixes 3% withholding tax for government contractors
NEWS RIAS DEC 06, 2011
Obama nixes 3% withholding tax for government contractors

President Barack Obama today signed into law a bill that would kill a withholding tax on government contractors even before it was levied for the first time.

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
Debate subtly shifting from whether to raise taxes — to how much
NEWS RIAS DEC 06, 2011
Debate subtly shifting from whether to raise taxes — to how much

Republican lawmakers coming over to the idea that Uncle Sam must raise more revenue to make real impact on deficit; Grover Norquist not thrilled

By John Goff
NEWS RIAS DEC 06, 2011
Advisers, regulators must heed MF's lessons

MF Global's bankruptcy illustrates again that excessive financial leverage is dangerous, that regulators must remain on high alert for dangerous situations and that they must act expeditiously when they perceive that a firm's leverage appears too high

By MFXFeeder
Variable annuity players join the fixed indexed annuity fray
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Variable annuity players join the fixed indexed annuity fray

Carriers that have been stalwarts in the variable annuity industry are trying their hand at manufacturing and selling fixed indexed annuities.

By Darla Mercado
Bill Gross: Prepare for 'disharmony'
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Bill Gross: Prepare for 'disharmony'

In many ways the global economic crisis is like a marriage gone bad.

By Bill Gross
Jeremy Grantham: What to buy
NEWS EQUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Jeremy Grantham: What to buy

For those with a long horizon, I am sure well-managed forestry and farmland will outperform the average of all global assets.

By Jeremy Grantham
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 06, 2011
Jeremy Grantham: A hierarchy of problems

With hindsight, there are a few additions and qualifications I would like to make regarding my letter on resources of <a href=http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110426/FREE/110429963>last quarter.</a> I will start with an overview of the prospects for our collective well-being: there is nothing about the resource limitation problem that we cannot resolve. We have the brain power and, especially, the inventiveness.

By Jeremy Grantham
Insurers' death benefit payout practices targeted
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Insurers' death benefit payout practices targeted

State regulators continue to investigate claims that life insurance carriers may be failing to pay out death benefits or submit the money to the state in a timely fashion. Not surprisingly, this has attracted the attention of tort lawyers.

By Darla Mercado
NEWS LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES DEC 06, 2011
Accidental death becomes suicide when insurers dodge payouts

Critics say it's smart for carriers to deny life insurance claims for allegedly spurious reasons. Why? Because they make money off the float.

By John Goff
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 06, 2011
Skimpier living benefits could kill interest in VAs, advisers warn

Financial advisers are calling on insurers to enhance their suite of variable annuities, saying that clients are turned off by falling accrual rates on living benefits and insufficient investment choices

By Darla Mercado
NEWS RIAS DEC 05, 2011
Democrats eye 3.25% millionaire surtax

U.S. Senate Democrats are proposing to use a 3.25 percent surtax on income over $1 million to pay for extending and expanding a payroll tax cut, setting up a test vote as early as this week.

By Doug Cubberley
Biggs cuts bullish stock bets, sees odds of recession at 60% to 70%
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 05, 2011
Biggs cuts bullish stock bets, sees odds of recession at 60% to 70%

Barton Biggs, the hedge fund manager who bought stocks when the market bottomed in 2009, cut bullish bets on equities, amid concern that the odds of a U.S. recession have increased.

By Doug Cubberley
Strategists see large rebound for large caps this quarter
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 05, 2011
Strategists see large rebound for large caps this quarter

Predict S&amp;P 500 will end the year at 1,300; investors being 'swayed by macro variables'

By John Goff
Borzi vows to keep IRAs in Labor's revamped fiduciary proposal
NEWS RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 05, 2011
Borzi vows to keep IRAs in Labor's revamped fiduciary proposal

A fervent outcry from a wide range of financial industry groups and bipartisan lawmakers helped persuade the Labor Department to withdraw a proposed rule that would expand the definition of fiduciary for advisers to retirement plans.

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
NEWS RIAS DEC 04, 2011
Advisers: Clients are better off than in 2008, but Obama must go

By Jeff Benjamin
NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS DEC 04, 2011
Longtime RJFS CEO to leave

By Bruce Kelly