Products February 3, 2011

ING Expands Offering of Fiduciary Service Program

February 3, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - ING’s U.S. Retirement Services business is expanding its program for researching, selecting and monitoring plan investments to support more types of employers.
Reported by

The program, Portfolio Blueprint, powered by Morningstar Associates, is currently offered to ING’s ERISA 401(a) and 401(k) corporate plan sponsor customers.  Now, ING will also make Portfolio Blueprint available to health care, education, and not-for-profit employers sponsoring qualified 401(a), 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans.    

According to a press release, through Portfolio Blueprint, ING plan sponsor clients can elect to receive: 

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  • Professional and objective fund analysis from an independent third party; 
  • A fully diversified menu of investment options designed to meet the needs and profile of the sponsor’s workforce; 
  • A professionally drafted Investment Policy Statement (IPS); 
  • Quarterly monitoring reports and memos outlining fund changes; and 
  • Acknowledgement of fiduciary responsibility by Morningstar Associates for their investment advisory services under section 3(21)(A)(ii) of ERISA. 

 

The announcement said ING offers a wide selection of proprietary and non-proprietary funds under the program.  Plan sponsors select from a list of eligible investments recommended by Morningstar Associates. Portfolio Blueprint then allows sponsors and their financial professionals the flexibility to choose which investment options best suit the needs of their workforce.   

For more information on ING’s Portfolio Blueprint program, including specific pricing terms and availability for healthcare, education and not-for-profit employers, please contact ING’s Sales Desk at 1-866-481-3653, option 4. 
Products February 3, 2011

Teucrium Trading Unveils Commodity ETFs

February 3, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Teucrium Trading has introduced two new single commodity exchange-traded products for the energy space – the Teucrium Natural Gas Fund (NYSE: NAGS) and the Teucrium WTI Crude Oil Fund (NYSE: CRUD). 
Reported by

The Teucrium Natural Gas Fund began trading on February 1, 2011 and the Teucrium WTI Crude Oil Fund is expected to begin trading in February 2011, pending final regulatory approval, according to the announcement.

Sal Gilbertie, President of Teucrium Trading, LLC, said the new funds have been designed to allow Registered Investment Advisers, pension funds, hedge funds, institutional and individual investors the opportunity to invest in single commodities through an easily traded, liquid and transparent New York Stock Exchange Arca-listed security.

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“With global growth and the increasing stress emerging markets are putting on commodities as pervasive as corn, oil and gas, it’s clear that commodities have become a valid asset class, although until now, access to single commodities for most investors has been very limited,” Gilbertie said.

The funds will be managed by Gilbertie and Kelly Teevan, both of whom have considerable commodities and energy trading experience.  More information is at www.teucrium.com.

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