Products March 26, 2008

SEI Opens Resource Center for Advisers

SEI has launched the SEI Advisor Resource Center (ARC), a Web-based marketing system for the SEI Advisor Network's more than 6,500 independent adviser clients.
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Through the multi-media Resource Center, advisers have access to Webcasts, customizable marketing materials, newsletters, research, and expert commentaries developed by SEI, the announcement said.

Among the materials available is the SEI Advisor Network “Volatility Toolkit,” which includes a Webcast, presentations and articles aimed at educating investors about the events influencing the current market environment. At the close of each quarter, a Quarterly Investment Review is also made available to advisers, including presentation templates, additional Webcasts, and other white papers and tools developed by subject experts at SEI, according to a company announcement.

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Advisers also have the ability to customize marketing materials with their own logos. To support advisers in building their own brand, SEI has established relationships with marketing agencies to offer advisers discounted rates on logo design, collateral creation, and interactive marketing.

The ARC can be accessed through BusinessBuilder, the SEI Advisor Network’s interactive client system.

For more information, visit http://www.seic.com/advisors.

Products March 26, 2008

Morningstar Portfolio Management Services Available on Schwab Platform

Schwab Institutional and Morningstar Investment Services have established a relationship whereby Morningstar’s portfolio management services will be available on Schwab Institutional's enhanced managed account services platform.
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Offered exclusively through financial advisers by Morningstar Investment Services, Morningstar’s managed portfolios include a series of mutual fund, ETF, and stock portfolios tailored to meet a range of investment strategies, time horizons, and risk levels, according to a press release.

The offerings include:

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  • Morningstar Managed Mutual Fund Portfolios which offer mutual fund strategies designed to meet a wide array of needs. Every portfolio is actively managed, applying a strategic asset allocation and proprietary mutual fund evaluation system grounded in Morningstar, Inc.’s independent fund and stock research. The full range of portfolios allows advisers to align client goals with specific strategies including those focused on long-term growth of capital, retirement income, absolute return, and global opportunities.
  • Morningstar Managed ETF Portfolios which are actively managed using a “core and explore” investment process. This strategy combines “core” positions that provide exposure to broad asset classes in an efficient and low-cost manner with “explore” positions that seek to add value by taking advantage of opportunities in the markets. Selection of explore positions are based on a proprietary ETF-evaluation system developed by Morningstar Investment Services that combines macroeconomic and fundamental factors (See Morningstar Announces Active ETFs in Managed Account).
  • Morningstar Managed Portfolios Select Stock Baskets which combine the independent stock research provided by Morningstar, Inc. with the portfolio management expertise of Morningstar Investment Services. The resulting stock basket is a customized portfolio of U.S.-traded stocks that is tailored to suit an investor’s specific parameters, including sector and industry exposure, stock restrictions, existing holdings, and personal tax situation.

“We’re pleased to offer our objective research, analysis, and portfolio management expertise so investment advisors who work with Schwab Institutional can focus on building relationships with their clients while we manage the portfolios,” said Kunal Kapoor, president and chief investment officer for Morningstar Investment Services.

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