Posts Tagged ‘Mutual Funds’

Broker Review: optionsXpress

Publicly traded optionsXpress (OXPS) is one of the more mature online brokerages.

It consistently ranks highly in broker comparisons conducted by Barron’s and others. However, we are not too concerned with outside ratings. We are more concerned with how optionsXpress may or may not fit with your trading objectives and style.

Let’s take a look at who may benefit the most from opening an optionsXpress account and who may find better luck elsewhere.

Target Audience

The target audience for optionsXpress seems to be active investors who are looking to diversify their portfolio across a broad range of investing products.

For instance, if you are a trader who places a few options and futures trades per month while holding some longer-term investments in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds, you would be an ideal candidate to open and optionsXpress account, because you can manage everything within one account.

Of course, optionsXpress or any other broker will say that they would love to work with any investor, regardless of their holdings, but the product offering and commission and fee structure seem to benefit active to semi-active traders who want to invest in a broad range of products.

Products Available at optionsXpress

The product lineup at optionsXpress is one of the broker’s strong points.

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“Chinese Warren Buffet” arrested in Toronto

A fund manager who called himself the “Chinese Warren Buffet” has been arrested in Toronto for running a Ponzi scheme which duped investors out of an estimated $30 million.

Weizhen Tang was arrested at Toronto’s airport and stands accused of defrauding as many as 100 clients, with one losing as much as $2.4 million.

The 51 year-old is thought to have operated the scheme between January 2006 and March 2009, which asked for a minimum commitment of $150,000 from investors.

He worked through online business Oversea Chinese Fund Limited Partnership and advertised opportunities in foreign exchanges, options and mutual funds across China and Hong Kong.

The investment adviser stands accused of securities fraud, illegal distributions of securities and unregistered trading in securities by the Ontario Securities Commission.

Mr Tang is due to appear in court on April 19th.

He was supposed to return to Canada from China on December 29th but failed to show.

An investigation into his activities was originally launched by the Toronto police during April 2009.

Institutional investors might return to Citi after TARP payback

Institutional investors own roughly 20% of Citigroup, making it “one of the least owned banks” by mutual funds, pension funds and other large investors. Once the government sells its stake in the bank, however, institutional investors might return. “A lot of clients I talk to are afraid” of the government’s involvement through its holding in Citigroup, said Macquarie Capital analyst David Trone. Once the government exits Citi and the bank is allowed to repay funds it received through the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the bank’s shares could rise.


Support for transaction tax is low

Lawmakers are considering a House proposal that would impose a tax on stock trades and over-the-counter derivatives transactions. Key lawmakers, however, are not lending their support to such a tax, and many market participants are opposed. “Imposing a tax on financial transactions is the wrong idea at the wrong time,” said Ken Bentsen, executive vice president of public policy and advocacy at SIFMA. “It would directly and detrimentally affect millions of Americans by imposing a tax on their savings such as mutual funds, just as they are seeing their investment assets regain value.”


Supreme Court considers mutual fund advisers’ compensation

The Supreme Court heard arguments regarding compensation policies for mutual fund investment advisers. The court appeared reluctant to give judges a role in overseeing the policies, although some justices indicated that courts might have to intervene. The high court’s case focuses on mutual funds, but justices touched on compensation policies of other sectors.

Charles Schwab may face SEC Charges Stemming from the Handling of Two Funds

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a Wells notice to Charles Schwab Corporation of San Francisco, California. A Wells notice is sent by the SEC to notify a company that civil actions may be brought against them. This notice concerns the handling of two mutual funds, Schwab YieldPlus Fund and the Schwab Total Bond Market Fund.

Investors in the two funds charge that they were deceived by Charles Schwab.

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Charles Schwab Found Liable In YieldPlus FINRA Arbitration

A Los Angeles based Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel awarded damages to the Chang family who invested in the Charles Schwab YieldPlus fund. The panel awarded the Chang claimants 100 percent of their losses plus what they would have earned had their money been properly invested.

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Worst Performing Mutual Funds through 9/09

33% of household assets held in retirement accounts, ICI reports

The accounts held $13.4 trillion, with $2.3 trillion in 401(k) plans
Americans held $13.4 trillion in retirement assets at the end of the first quarter, accounting for 33% of all household assets in the United States, the Investment Company Institute reported today.

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SEC Director of Compliance Inspections to Resign

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that Lori A. Richards, Director of the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE), plans to leave the agency after more than two decades of government service.

Ms. Richards has been the Director of OCIE since it was created by Chairman Arthur Levitt in May 1995.

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