Reuters Money: Merrill taps rich investors for ex-convict social-impact bond

	Click to View in Browser 12/31/2013 Merrill taps rich investors for ex-convict social-impact bond NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust reached out to some high-powered clients this quarter to invest in a social-impact bond whose proceeds finance a program to lower recidivism rates among ex-convicts in New York. Mortgage bonds reward yield-sensitive investors WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Investors searching for higher yields from rock-solid investments were put on hold again last week by the Federal Reserve, which pledged to keep interest rates low even as it scales back its extraordinary monetary easing. Financial resolutions for a prosperous 2014 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Resolutions don't work - behavioral experts know that. When you wake up on January 1 and emphatically say something vague like "This year, I am going to get my finances under control - I really mean it!" there's a good chance your budget will end up where all those good intentions usually lead. Gottex readies fund to let Main Street invest like Wall Street BOSTON (Reuters) - Hedge fund firm Gottex Fund Management is readying a new mutual fund that will let retail clients sample asset classes normally reserved for millionaires, like hedge funds, private equity and real estate. Column: Five ways do-gooders can erase student-loan debt LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When P.K. Drago graduated from George Washington University in 2009 at the peak of the Great Recession with $40,000 in student loan debt, she decided to do volunteer work. Swiss banks Lombard Odier and VP Bank sign up to U.S. tax deal ZURICH (Reuters) - Lombard Odier & Cie and VP Bank (Switzerland) on Friday became the latest Swiss banks to say they would work with U.S. officials in a crackdown on lenders suspected of helping wealthy Americans evade taxes through hidden offshore accounts. U.S. jobless claims fall, holiday retail sales rise WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level in nearly a month, a hopeful sign for the labor market, while holiday retail sales rose in November and December. U.S.-based bond funds have $8.1 billion outflow in latest week: ICI NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors in U.S.-based mutual funds pulled $8.1 billion out of bond funds in the week ended December 18 on fears that a pullback in the Federal Reserve's bond-buying would hurt bond prices, data from the Investment Company Institute showed on Tuesday. U.S. shops use prices, pick-ups to snare holiday stragglers WEST NYACK, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Retailers are trying new ways to win over Christmas procrastinators. The trouble with forward guidance: James Saft (Reuters) - Keeping your word is hard, and people simply hate it when you don't, something that central bankers enamored of the vogue for "forward guidance" may soon learn. Related Video Bette Midler: Cleaning and greening New York Facial recognition brings new look to shopping Business News U.S. home price gains slow in October, but yearly gain increases: S&P Wall St opens up, set for best year since 1997 The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend