Nearly a third of Active Traders, investors who make three or more trades on a monthly basis via a self-service online trading platform, indicate they are likely to open a new online trading account in the next six months. While this group of investors recognizes 19 online brokerage providers, only six firms have a solid [...]

For many years, the three major exchange traded fund (ETF) providers—iShares, State Street, and Vanguard—have been able to grow share by leveraging their volume, early pioneer status, and strong brand reputations. However, the ETF landscape is changing, as new providers enter the market or continue to announce their intent to offer solutions in this growing market segment.

In an ironic turn of events, National distributors are the biggest beneficiaries of the 15% increase in advisor
satisfaction reported in the 2010 Advisor Brandscape. Last year, wirehouse reps were the least-satisfied group
of advisors across all channels.

While the financial services industry has been busy courting the in- or near- retirement Boomer generation, an emerging wave of younger, affluent investors has been silently growing, building wealth, and seeking financial services firms who will give them what they want. This group of Generation X thirty and forty somethings comprise about one-fifth of affluent investors in the United States and bring a unique perspective to the financial landscape.

As competition continues to increase in the wealth management industry, discovering new sources of customers has become more important than ever. Moreover, as a sizeable portion of affluent Americans are on the cusp of moving into a de-accumulation phase, the motivation to attract younger investors is stronger than ever. Firms that are successful in attracting [...]

Retirement Income Product Innovations Not Resonating with Retirees and Pre-Retirees