Widget Watch / New Products, Services

TIAA-Cref in New York is offering three types of Keogh retirement plans for people working at colleges, universities, research organizations and K-12 schools in the United States. A profit-sharing plan, a money-purchase plan and a paired plan are available for individuals who generate self-employment income.

To be eligibile, an investor must own a TIAA or Cref insurance product or mutual fund.

Internet dealing from Barclays

Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of the New York-based Barclays Group, has launched a web-browser-based system that lets institutions and large corporate clients deal quickly in the foreign exchange markets. In addition to real-time pricing and trade execution, it offers research and analytics, order management facilities and a chat room.

Investec kicking off a wireless fund

Investec Guinness Flight Global Asset Management, a subsidiary of Investec Group Ltd. in London, has launched a no-load fund that will focus on developers and manufacturers of wireless technology as well as the companies in other sectors that stand to gain the most from innovations in wireless technology. Initial holdings in the Guinness Flight Wireless World Fund include Nokia, LM Ericsson, CellPoint and Merita-Nordbanken.

E-investment bank eyes pre-IPO offering

Research Partners International Inc. in New York has launched EarlyBirdCapital.com, an electronic investment bank designed

to give investors access to pre-IPO investments through a focus on online private placements. All securities-related transactions are executed through EarlyBirdCapital.com’s registered broker dealer, EarlyBirdCapital Inc.

Four Federated funds no-load this month

Through March 31, Federated Investors Inc. in Pittsburgh is offering Class A shares at net asset value of its Aggressive Growth, Communications Technology, Large Cap Growth and International Small Company funds.

A 2% contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed for 30 months if shareholders redeem or if an investor transfers into a Federated fund other than the four funds in the special offering.

Franklin including illustration feature

Franklin Templeton Distributors Inc. in San Mateo, Calif., has introduced Sales Insight Online, which allows investment representatives to create client-ready illustrations directly via its website.

Advisers can access the feature on the Internet by logging on to the password-protected investment representative section of the website, www.franklintempleton.com, going to “Sales Tools,” then

“Hypotheticals” and clicking on “Sales Insight Online.”

Elijah to advise Aetna tech fund

Aeltus Investment Management Inc. in Hartford, adviser to the Aetna Funds, has started the Aetna Technology Fund. The fund will be offered through investment professtionals and sub-advised by Elijah Asset Management in San Francisco. It will focus on large- and medium-cap companies that are market leaders.

Guardian offering living-benefit rider

Guardian Insurance and Annuity Co. Inc. in New York, a subsidiary of the Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America, is offering new investors in the Guardian Investor Retirement Asset Manager variable annuity a living benefit rider that combines principal protection guarantees and strategic assetallocation features.

Called Decade, it allows customers to preserve capital by insuring the money they invest will be secure at the end of 10 years, even if the value of their investment falls. Investors must make a single lump sum investment in a mix of pre-selected asset-allocation classes.