Products March 29, 2010

Curian Offers New Investment Strategies

Curian Capital, LLC, a provider of a fee-based wealth management platform for financial professionals, has added two strategies to its Custom Style Portfolios.
Reported by

The firm said the Curian Dynamic Risk Advantage Strategy and the Curian Enhanced Real Return Strategy provide advisers and their clients with a broader range of investment options to help them address changing market and economic conditions.

The Dynamic Risk Advantage Strategy is a tactical asset allocation strategy that seeks to systematically reduce risk exposure in a client’s portfolio when higher-risk assets are in decline, and increase risk exposure when these assets are trending positive, according to Curian. The asset manager utilizes growth-oriented investments with complementary correlations and lower-risk investments that are expected to demonstrate stability through all market cycles.

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The strategy is actively managed by Curian, with Mellon Capital Management Corporation (MCM) acting as a non-discretionary sub-adviser. It can serve as a complement to a broader portfolio to affect overall risk.

The Enhanced Real Return Strategy is proprietary to Curian and aims to help investors protect their assets against the effects of inflation, the firm said. The strategy invests in a portfolio of actively managed inflation-linked bonds and commodity-based securities. Curian said it introduced the strategy in anticipation of elevated inflation concerns that typically accompany a global economic recovery as well as the unprecedented level of monetary stimulus following the financial crisis.

The strategy is sub-advised by Armored Wolf, LLC, an investment management company founded by John Brynjofsson, who previously managed inflation-linked bond and commodities funds at PIMCO.

For more information, registered investment advisers, broker/dealers, and financial institutions can visit www.curian.com or contact the Curian Sales Desk at 877.847.4192.

Products March 29, 2010

ING Adds Variable Annuity to Product Suite

ING's U.S. operations, which merged its annuity and rollover businesses to form ING Financial Solutions last year, has added what it said is a simpler, lower-cost variable annuity to its product suite.
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The new product, called ING Select Opportunities Variable Annuity, is designed to offer the benefits and features of traditional variable annuities packaged together at a competitive price, ING said. The contract has one death benefit and a minimum guaranteed withdrawal benefit, both of which come standard with the product.      

Earlier this year, the company introduced a multi-manager mutual-fund custodial account IRA program and a fixed annuity. The annuity products are issued by ING Life insurance and Annuity Company.     

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ING Select Opportunities uses passive investment options utilizing index-tracking portfolios

For more information, contact an ING Financial Solutions wholesaler or the ING Financial Solutions Sales Team at 800.344-6860.  

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