Strategic Insight

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  Strategic Insight: stock and bond funds appreciate by $1 trillion in 2012

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  November 19, 2012

  Research reveals that investors enjoyed total average returns of more than 12 percent from January through October.

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  Strategic Insight: bond funds investments on pace to surpass last year’s results

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  October 10, 2012

  Bond funds gained another $32 billion in September, and are projected to grow to more than $300 billion in net inflows for the full year, exceeding the 2010 and 2011 pace, the research shows.

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  Hit the Gas

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  June 1, 2012

  The recent debate among state insurance commissioners as to the regulatory status of contingent deferred annuities has focused advisors’ attention on new solutions that, if demand takes off, could significantly boost the market for insurance products in the retirement income planning space.

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  Strategic Insight: VA Lifecycle Assets Top $266 Billion in 2011

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  March 7, 2012

  Variable annuities at year-end 2011 accounted for $266 billion of lifecycle assets, with nearly all (96%) of the assets residing in target risk strategies, the report finds. The $255 billion variable target risk market attracted $4.0 billion of net flows, while posting net returns of 5.68% during the quarter. Variable...

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  Investors Hold Steady in Stock Funds in January

  By Mark Jewell  |  February 14, 2012

  A January market rally wasn't enough to get investors back into stock mutual funds in a big way. But they did stop pulling out more cash than they were putting in, ending an eight-month string of net withdrawals.

• Strategic Insight: U.S. Stock and Bond Mutual Fund Net Inflows to Reach Just $80 Billion

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  December 12, 2011

  Shaken by market volatility, continued high unemployment, and concerns about global economic growth, the U.S. fund industry is on pace for just $80 billion in net inflows to stock and bond mutual funds in 2011, a 67% decline from 2010, according to a new report.