Hartford Invest

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Moral Hazard exists when individuals or institutions change their risk behavior to assume more risk than normal because they feel insulated from the consequences. Read More.

Though the Fed was successful in driving mortgage rates to historically low levels, the attractive financing has yet to offer sustained support for the housing sector. Read More.

September's employment data indicated a continued lack of momentum in the economy. Employment growth was temporarily boosted by census workers and began sagging as their employment term reached its end. Read More.

While another 50% plus year in terms of total return is impossible given current price levels, we believe attractive returns may still be realized in High Yield bonds. We are currently in an environment in which the total return for High Yield bonds is primarily comprised of coupon income rather than capital appreciation (as we saw in 2009). Read More.

The economy had reasonable momentum in the first quarter of 2010, but hit a soft patch in the second quarter as certain factors took a more negative turn. Read More.

Market participants are juggling three interdependent, but somewhat separate themes. It's almost the market equivalent of a "Three Ring Circus", except instead of being able to focus on the performance in one ring, we are watching performances in all three rings simultaneously. Read More.

The most recent financial crisis and subsequent recovery was an eye-opening experience for fixed income investors as their portfolios experienced unexpected volatility. Read More.

Treasury Infl ation-Protected Securities (TIPS) were designed to mitigate the risk of infl ation and its effects on the purchasing power of an investor's capital, as the income they produce is directly linked to infl ation. While TIPS have this unique advantage during infl ationary periods, they also typically exhibit a high degree of interest rate risk due to their longer duration. Read More.

GDP growth slowed in the second quarter to 1.6% from 2.4%. The disappointing GDP number was reflective of an increase in imports and a slowdown in private investment. Read More.

While global concerns have tapered, U.S. economic outlook remains uncertain. The increased market volatility that began in May 2010, caused by external catalysts such as Eurozone concerns and China's lending conditions, continued through July. Read More.

Prompt action by the European Central Bank (ECB) helps to quiet rising concerns. Read More.

Concern over Greece creates global volatility and uncertainty. At the end of 2009, Greece's deficit stood at approximately 12.5% of GDP - well over the 3% level permissible by the European Union (EU). Read More.

Ray Humphrey Joins Hartford Investment Management Company as Senior Portfolio Manager

Hartford Investment Management Company (HIMCO) is pleased to announce an important addition to our investment management team today. Ray Humphrey has joined as Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager. Read More.

The first quarter of 2010 was characterized by modest growth, with real GDP likely to have grown 3% after having grown by 5.6% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Global growth picked up towards the end of the quarter as rising profits and improved asset prices prompted firms to increase capital expenditures. Read More.

The Investment Strategy Committee (ISC) is made up of seasoned investment professionals at Hartford Investment Management. Its role is to determine the firm's view on cyclical and secular trends in the macro-economy and to set the firm's top-down view on interest rates, yield curve and sector positioning. Read More.

Hartford Investment Management Company is pleased to announce that our parent company, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (The Hartford), today announced that it has repurchased all of The Hartford's preferred shares Read More.

Donna Howe Joins Hartford Investment Management Company as Chief Risk Officer

Hartford Investment Management Company is pleased to announce that Donna Howe has joined the firm as Chief Risk Officer, effective March 1. As a member of the senior leadership team, Donna will manage the firm's risk management team and oversee the risk management process for all client portfolios. Read More.

We entered 2009 in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Jobs were being shed at an unprecedented rate in the post-war era while the global banking system was at best fragile and at worst on the brink of total collapse. Read More.

Industry Veteran Joseph Darcy Joins Hartford Investment Management Company, To Lead Municipal Team

Hartford Investment Management Company continues to strengthen its investment management capabilities with the hiring of Joseph Darcy as executive vice president and sector head of municipal finance. Darcy joined the firm January 25, 2010. Read More.

As of September 30, 2009, the bank loan market, as measured by the Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index, returned an astounding 39.77% year-to-date. Read More.

TIPS: Multiple Factors May Point To Longer-Term Inflationary Pressures
John Hendricks, Sr. Vice President, Portfolio Manager

The role of diversification within an investment portfolio is to manage risk without sacrificing return. This is generally achieved by combining a variety of uncorrelated equity and fixed income asset classes and holding them through multiple economic cycles. Read More.

For years, banks and other financial companies have used hybrid securities to raise regulatory capital. Read More.

The technical or supply/demand environment remains supportive of prices and has been the main driver of higher prices over the last month. Read More.

For the average couple, few decisions are more important than choosing an allocation of financial assets that will get them to retirement and beyond. Read More.

Asset managers often try to put a floor under the price of stocks they hold, typicallyby buying "put options," which entitle the holder to sell a stock at a certain price by (or on) a certain date. Read More.

U.S. Government Bails Out AIG
The current financial crisis is the worst in nearly 80 years. Like most financial crises, it is characterized by a vicious cycle of rapidly declining asset prices and forced deleveraging. Read More.

This material has been created for and is for use only by institutional investors and consultants. It is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security, strategy or investment product. This information should not be considered investment, tax or legal advice. Hartford Investment Management does not represent that any securities or sectors discussed are suitable for any particular investor. All investments are subject to risk, including possible loss of principal. The information provided on this website is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity located in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to applicable law or regulation.
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