Products October 19, 2010

Northern Trust Unveils Risk and Performance Data Plug-In

Northern Trust released Data Direct, an application designed to access risk and performance data through Microsoft Excel.
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According to the company, Data Direct reduces the need for manual exportation of data to spreadsheets. Instead, clients have live access to their data and utilize an intuitive query definition process and drag-and-drop object parameter functionality to streamline the flow of risk and performance data from Northern Trust reporting applications to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.

Once populated according to client specifications, the Excel spreadsheets interact with Northern Trust servers to update on demand and can be viewed, modified, and integrated with other data sources as needed, the news release said.

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Data Direct provides access to a catalog of client information including performance returns, characteristics, ex-post risk statistics, attribution analysis, investment risk services information including predictive (ex-ante) risk exposures, and stress and scenario based simulation data. 

Other highlights of Data Direct include:

  • client data on demand with full refresh capabilities,
  • file sharing functionality with other Data Direct users,
  • integrated technology using Passport  authentication platform, and
  • transportable/accessible outside office networks using available internet proxy connection.
Products October 19, 2010

TD Ameritrade Programs Help RIAs Grow Retirement Business

New services from TD Ameritrade Institutional are designed to help independent registered investment advisers (RIAs) and third-party administrators (TPAs) grow their retirement plan business and better meet the needs of plan sponsors.
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New corporate retirement plan solutions will include:

  • A TPA referral network that matches RIAs with qualified independent TPAs and recordkeepers
  • A 401(k) educational program to assist independent RIAs in starting, growing, and managing their retirement plan practice. RIAs can learn different ways to attract and retain retirement plan business. For the breakaway brokers that may be working with bundled providers, this program can provide the knowledge and tools they need to present the alternative of an unbundled approach to their clients, TD Ameritrade said.
  • The Trust Business Development Team of consultants consolidated retirement and adviser sales teams, leading to greater coordination in uncovering opportunities for advisers and TPAs.
  • The ability to manage self-directed brokerage accounts (SDBAs) within a retirement plan directly through Veo, TD Ameritrade Institutional’s adviser trading platform. The new SDBA capability in Veo provides RIAs the ability to electronically trade securities, rebalance portfolios, deduct management fees, and automatically download SDBA account information into their portfolio management and accounting systems.

According to a press release, these programs are intended to enhance TD Ameritrade Institutional’s current open architecture platform, which offers retirement plan advisers and their clients greater investment choice including thousands of mutual funds and fee transparency.

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