FundWatch: Fund investors may gain from Supreme Court case (MarketWatch.com) - A Supreme Court hearing on Monday in a case involving mutual-fund management fees could lead to a fuller airing of what investors pay for when they buy a fund.

Headcount Reduction Continues at AllianceBernstein (InvestmentWires News) - The New York-based asset manager, which unveiled its third-quarter results on Thursday, is bringing headcount down to 4,400 by yearend.

Top Fund Brands for Advisors (Research Magazine) - Financial advisors associate positive branding with American Funds, iShares and Ivy Funds.

Take Off Blinders When It Comes to Fees (WSJ.com: The Intelligent Investor) - In the mad dash to buy bond funds -- roughly $200 billion so far this year -- investors are overlooking fees.

Distribution Exec Is Latest Janus Departure (Fund Action) - Jim Yount, head of Janus Capital Group's global consulting services in the advisor channel, has become the third executive in as many weeks to leave the firm.

American Funds Plans Bond Fund Combo (Fund Action) - American Funds plans to fold its $46 million Endowments Bond Portfolio into its $37 billion Bond Fund of America early in 2010, in part because of "changes in the fixed-income market as a result of recent turmoil."

American Funds' Outflows and Pimco's Inflows Continue (InvestmentWires News) - New data from Morningstar shines a light on 2009 mutual fund flows, assets and market share.

How Has Fund Distribution Changed? (MF Wire)

FundWatch: Active management fails on performance, risk (MarketWatch)

JPMorgan Gaining Mutual Fund Market Share (MMExecutive) - Following its acquisition of BoA’s Columbia funds, it will be the nation’s bank with the largest fund business.

Mutual Fund Sales Rose 56% in 2Q, Outpacing Variable Annuities’ 17% Increase (MMExecutive) - Sales trends are reversing from last year, Kehrer-Limra says.

Putnam Promotes Two Execs in Global Distribution (MMExecutive) - Phoenix to oversee the institutional business, and Saunders will oversee the RIA channel.

Former Templeton CEO Blasts 12b-1 Fees (MMExecutive) - Dan Calabria is critical of the mutual fund industry in a new book.

Pimco's Bill Gross favors his closed-end funds over Total Return Fund (Investment News)

Straight from the CEO: What Invesco plans to do with Van Kampen (Investment News)

Bond giant Pimco plans push into active equities (Investment News)

Morningstar broke rule Nasdaq rule (Investment News)

Active Managers Strike Back (Barron's This Week Magazine) - Picking the right bond -- or the right bond-fund manager -- is becoming more critical.

$226 Billion in Mutual Fund Inflows Nearly Making Up for 2008’s Redemptions (MMExecutive)

As Others Shrink their Fund Lineups, One Fund Firm More than Doubles its Own (Investment Wire)

Pimco, Goldman Sachs Drop B Shares (InvestmentWires News)

Ameriprise Preps to Buy Columbia (InvestmentWires News) - Updated | BofA is about to seal the deal to sell its asset manager.

Five Surprising ETF Statistics (Morningstar Articles) -

PIMCO Launches Education, Training Around Real Income Funds (Fund Action)

RIAs and Wirehouse Reps Express the Most Comfort With ETFs (Investment Wires)

JPMorgan Bids Adieu to B Shares (InvestmentWires) - The New York-based asset manager adds itself to the long list of firms getting rid of the share class.

Putnam Says its Web Site is Drawing More Eyeballs (InvestmentWires) - Site traffic is up 46 percent in the last three months, say company execs.

Putnam Perks Up After Its Long Slide (Investor's Business Daily - Investing) - Putnam Investments is trying to claw its way back from mutual fund purgatory. Total assets are growing again after a long slide dating back to August 2000.

Mutual Understanding: Vanguard target-date funds get top ranking (MarketWatch.com)

Chuck Jaffe: Sympathy for two mutual-fund devils (MarketWatch.com) - Two mutual-fund demons are locked in a high-profile Supreme Court battle over fees and what is fair.