Morningstar has compiled a list of the investments that financial advisors, individuals and institutions researched the most last year on its software platforms.

Financial advisors and individuals focused most on income and risk-mitigation investments, Morningstar said, and institutional investors frequently researched domestic and international equity mutual funds, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and separate accounts.

Other highlights of the most-researched investments on Morningstar’s platform for 2012 include:

• The four most-viewed ETFs by individual investors, as well as six of the top 10, were from Vanguard, while iShares ETFs were researched most by advisors and institutional investors.

• Despite the institutional focus on equities, Pimco Total Return Fund found a spot on the most-researched investment lists for individual investors, advisors, and institutions alike.

• Dividend focused ETFs were the most viewed investments among individual investors, while advisors showed particular interest in inflation-hedging ETFs, such as SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and iShares Barclays TIPS Bond (TIP), as well as emerging-markets ETFs.

• Large-cap equity strategies led the list of most-researched separate accounts by institutional investors, including six of the top 10.

In 2012, Morningstar said, financial advisors researched these funds the most:

Mutual Funds
Templeton Global Bond A (TPINX)
 Pimco Total Return A (PTTAX)
 American Funds Growth Fund of America A (AGTHX)
 Franklin Income A (FKINX)
 Oppenheimer Developing Markets A (ODMAX)
 First Eagle Global A (SGENX)
 American Funds Capital World Growth and Income A (CWGIX)
 BlackRock Global Allocation Inv A (MDLOX)
 American Funds Capital Income Builder A (CAIBX)
 Permanent Portfolio (PRPFX)

ETFs
 SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)
 iShares Barclays TIPS Bond (TIP)
 Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG)
 Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (VWO)
 iShares SandP U.S Preferred Stock Index (PFF)
 iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (EEM)
 iShares MSCI EAFE Index (EFA)
 SPDR SandP 500 (SPY)
 Vanguard REIT Index ETF (VNQ)
 iShares iBoxx $ Invest Grade Corporate Bond (LQD)