Independent broker-dealers owned by insurance companies, once the dominant players of the industry, will continue to dwindle in size and importance over the coming decade, unable to keep pace with more nimble competitors that invest in, and increase, investment advisory services for reps.
Conglomerate acquires $7.5B in accounts from insurer; sale includes online banking platform
Cetera Financial Group informed financial advisers at two of its three brokerage units last Wednesday that it plans to bring custody of various IRA and savings accounts in-house at its third broker unit, PrimeVest Financial Services Inc.
In a move that's likely to hurt trainees and reps in less-affluent towns, Merrill Lynch has upped account minimums to $250,000. The old threshold? $100,000. | <b>Extra</b> <a href=http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=CI&Date=20120105&Category=FREE&ArtNo=105009999&Ref=PH>Which brokerage is tops with Consumer Reports? &raquo;</a>
Deal with Actifi should help custodial unit speed up adviser work processes and improve efficiency
Portfolio diversification can improve and smooth out performance across investment environments and, given ongoing policy disarray and the likelihood of recession in both the US and Europe, it's a concept worth revisiting.
Firings down, manufacturing up; economy gaining momentum going into 2012
U.S. home prices have finally stabilized, says UBS' Harris; no double-dip expected
Tax proposals from the Republican presidential candidates favor one group
Stock takes a header while rest of the market surges; bad loans a millstone
TD Ameritrade Institutional has attracted a record number of breakaway brokers to its custody platform during the fiscal year ended in September
Are stocks cheap or pricey? History would seem to indicate the S&P 500 is undervalued -- and might well hit 1,800 this year. Some money managers don't see it that way, however.
Buyer of Securities America offers carrot to the unit's brokers to entice them to stick; 'most of the advisers will stay put'
In its quarterly report yesterday, LPL revealed news that definitely makes a splash: It's paying $27 million for the assets of National Retirement Partners Inc. The broker-dealer announced the acquisition last month.
