Fidelity Investments’ clearing and custody company, National Financial, has announced a new myStreetscape portal for investors working with brokers on the Streetscape platform. The enhanced mobile capabilities and revamped investor statements are designed to engage investors by creating clearer, more concise overviews of account information.

“The new suite of technology enhancements will facilitate more collaboration between investors and their brokers. The enhancements also will help brokers increase productivity and efficiency by enabling them to spend more time building their businesses and less time on administrative tasks,” says Richard N. Hart III, senior vice president of platform solutions at National Financial.

Enhancements to the myStreetscape portal, intended to provide investors with more mobility and involvement, include:

• An improved design and navigation. The platform is customizable for the investor and also the broker-dealer firm, which can add its own branding;

• A new mobile offering that includes three smart phone options with a myStreetscape app;

• A customizable positions page that enables users to reposition columns and customize screens;

• A markets and research overview page that offers a five-day economic and “world view” calendar;

• IDC’s Market-Q, which provides streaming quotes and news.

As more investors use mobile devices, myStreetscape’s extra capabilities are intended to help brokers serve technology-minded investors more efficiently.

Global X Launches First Greece ETF

Global X Funds has launched the first ETF listed on the New York Stock Exchange targeting Greece.

The new fund, the Global X FTSE Greece 20 ETF (GREK), tracks the FTSE/ATHEX 20 Capped Index. The index comprises the top 20 companies listed on the Athens Exchange ranked by full market capitalization, providing investors with a comprehensive and transparent way to measure the performance of these companies. While there is no guarantee that the Greek economy will recover to previous levels, current valuations may create an attractive entry point for the long-term investor. 

Merrill Lynch’s Special Needs Calculator

Merrill Lynch has introduced a new online “Special Needs Calculator” to help parents and guardians navigate the complex financial issues involved in the lifelong care of someone with special needs.

The calculator provides a year-by-year cash-flow analysis and an estimate of your savings goal. This is the latest addition to the Merrill Lynch Special Needs Financial Services Program, designed to help families create an integrated financial and life planning strategy for someone with special needs.

Cole Income NAV Strategy

Cole Real Estate Investments of Phoenix, Ariz., announced the launch of its latest investment offering, the Cole Real Estate Income Strategy (Daily NAV) portfolio.

Marketed as “Cole Income NAV Strategy,” the non-listed REIT will invest in commercial real estate, with a primary focus on retail, office and industrial assets. Shares for individual investors will be made available through RIAs and broker-dealers. The share price will vary daily and will be equal to the Cole REIT’s net asset value, or NAV, divided by the number of common shares outstanding. 

Erado Partners With Quest CE

Erado, an electronic communication compliance and archiving firm, located in Renton, Wash., has announced its social media partnership with Quest CE, a provider of compliance training and education to the financial services industry.

As financial professionals increasingly use social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, they must also remain compliant with FINRA regulations on record-keeping, the supervision of media content and diligent capture. This partnership will implement Erado’s social media compliance services with Quest CE’s FINRA firm element training and tracking services.

Cornerstone And Regal Merge 

Cornerstone Capital Management, based in Raleigh-Durham, N.C. will merge with Regal Investment Advisors of Kentwood, Mich. In an effort to increase Regal’s footprint in the university marketplace in 2012, James “Marty” Barnes, the CEO of Cornerstone, will head Regal’s new initiative focusing on managing assets for employees of universities throughout the country.