Wall Street is shifting loyalties. So far in the 2008 election cycle, the securities and investment industry has showered the Democratic Party with contributions. The balance began to shift in 2006, when the industry gave 53 percent of donations...
RBC Dain Rauscher continued its recent streak of acquisitions in February, announcing plans to acquire Ferris, Baker, Watts (FWB), a full-service broker/dealer in Washington D.C. The acquisition strategy is part of an effort by Canadian parent...
Registered Rep.: What are the biggest hurdles that clearing and custody firms will face in the coming year? Dennis Gallant: Competition for clients. It's still a scale business, and it is highly competitive the demands on the marketplace are...
According to Bespoke Investment Group's Swimsuit Issue Indicator, the S&P 500 performs best in years when an American appears on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue. (That has happened 15 times over the past 30 years.) When an...
Wall Street's got balls or does it? Kidding aside, the major wirehouse firms all offer special benefits to employees who want to undergo sex-change surgery. Goldman and Wachovia offer coverage for counseling, hormone therapy, medical visits...
Registered Rep: Describe your ideal client in three words or less. Tom Ruggie: Wealthy, decisive and appreciative. RR: Piece of sports memorabilia you most cherish? TR: Two: an autographed photo of Babe Ruth, and a large Team of the Century photo...
When your clients complain to you about paying their taxes this April 15, don't roll your eyes when they claim, It's not about the money. Because their irritation really may stem less from the idea of their hard-earned dollars going to the state...
With markets soaring last year in places such as India and Turkey, investors poured cash into international funds. Of the $6.6 trillion invested in equity funds, about one quarter is in overseas portfolios, according to the Investment Company...
When markets turn down, the hated short sellers appear. The volume of short sales bets that stocks will drop spiked after technology shares began collapsing in 2000. Not surprisingly, short volume has climbed again in recent months. But in the...
Sometimes the weight of world comes crashing down around your shoulders. I suspect that's how registered representative Jason N. Slezak, his assistant branch office manager (X), and his compliance manager (Y) felt when the New York Stock Exchange...