institutional investors

As Japan's nuclear crisis deepens, Wall Street may begin to focus on a small group of almost-ignored young biotechs. Known as the bio-defense group, these firms develop products that help protect the population from radiation leaks resulting from nuclear accidents or attacks.

Heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is marketing a two-year 1 billion renminbi bond to institutional investors in Hong Kong. It's only the second multinational company to test the waters of the "dim sum" market, and its offering is five times the size of the first, a bond from McDonald's.

Booz Allen Hamilton Holding has priced its IPO at $17 a share, setting its $238 million offering at the low end of its range. The offering from the management and technology consulting firm, which largely serves government clients, apparently failed to inspire prospective investors.

Calls for a dip are understandably rising amid signs that the market is overbought. But evidence of performance chasing, where lagging fund managers take on more risk in hope of outsize returns, also are mounting.

A coalition of more than 20 institutional investors have published an open letter urging investors to shun Toys 'R' Us' upcoming initial public offering until the retail giant agrees to label and phase out the sale of toxic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) toys. The letter was signed by members of the...

Hedge funds are doubling down on inflation by buying gold. Institutions are buying corporate bonds -- a wager on deflation. Should you follow them? And if so, which way?

Until companies start hiring American workers, banks make affordable credit available for deserving consumers and institutional investors start providing more capital for start-ups, the U.S. economy will limp along -- or maybe worse.

Big money managers can change their strategy at any time. But for individual investors -- who are betting their own money -- the decision to be bearish or bullish is much tougher. Here's the key question: What lets you sleep at night?

Rockland Trust announced last week it is establishing Bright Rock Capital Management, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary dedicated to institutional investment management. The Massachusetts-based company, through its sole bank subsidiary Independent Bank Corp. (INDB), is a full-service bank with approximately $4.5 billion in assets. Now, Bright Rock will be available to the global institutional market and offer both separately managed accounts as well as mutual funds.

Direxion Funds appear to be delivering stellar returns. That's because they're leveraged ETFs, which also makes them extremely risky. Even a top Direxion exec warns individual investors to "not pay attention to our funds and forget they ever saw them." Here's why.