Archive for 'Business'

Variable annuities sales leaders

Posted on 25. Feb, 2010 by .

14

About Us | Contact Us | Search | Editorial Calendar | Advertise Subscriber Services: Subscribe | Renew | Subscription Status | Pay an Invoice | Change Mail Address Reprints | List Rental | Issue Index | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Crain Financial Group: Pensions & Investments | FinancialWeek | Workforce Management Copyright (C) [...]

Continue Reading

The last laugh

Posted on 25. Feb, 2010 by .

11

For most investors, not having access to their money is a drawback. But to Nancy Tipton, that’s precisely what made a variable annuity so attractive. In 2003, when she invested $94,000 in an annuity with a living benefit, she was guaranteed a 7% annual rate as long as no withdrawals were made over a 10-year [...]

Continue Reading

Outlook

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by .

9

The U.S., and indeed most of the global economies, faces a transition period in 2010, one that must be carefully handled. While the equity and fixed income markets have generally recovered structurally from the crisis of 2008, the recovery has been accomplished through government support and subsidy. But this support system is tenable only in [...]

Continue Reading

What a difference a year makes

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by .

22

As 2009 wound to a close, it was hard not to look back at the global financial markets just 12 months ago and realize how far and how quickly the recovery had come. To quote our Outlook from one year ago in this same Market Review: However, just as a strong April and May disguised [...]

Continue Reading

Fixed income

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by .

96

After a relatively sleepy start to the quarter, the taxable fixed income markets went on a quick rollercoaster ride for the final 60 days of the year. The Treasury yield curve dipped in November, sharply in the case of the 2-10 year portion of the curve, and then jumped in December wiping out any gains [...]

Continue Reading

International markets

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by .

10

The international developed markets (see forex trader) were muted during the fourth quarter with the Russell Developed Large Cap ex-North America Index up just 2.3%.The returns were further muted by the dollar reversing its most recent trend in the fourth quarter, strengthening against most of the major currencies with the notable exception of the British [...]

Continue Reading

Domestic equity markets

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by .

86

The fourth quarter of 2009 started out on shaky ground with the domestic equity indexes falling sharply in October. However, a solid November and December wiped out the early losses and put all of the Russell style indexes firmly in the black. Returns for the quarter ranged from 7.9% for the Russell 1000 Growth Index [...]

Continue Reading