Registered investment advisers are using alternative investments in their clients’ portfolios at a considerably higher clip than brokers, according to the results of a survey released today by Rydex Distributors Inc. and Securities Global Investors LLC. While virtually all registered investment advisers and brokers surveyed (about 95%) use alternative investments, RIAs tend to weight their clients’ assets more heavily toward non-traditional investment vehicles: More than a quarter (27%) of advisers surveyed invest at least 21% of client portfolios in alternatives, while 41% allocate between 1% and 10%

Volume from life settlements transactions is expected to reach $13 billion in face amount annually over the next three years, according to research from Aite Group. That’s a marked increase from the estimated scale of the business during 2009, as capital necessary to buy life insurance policies in the secondary market became constrained and more policies were available for sale, according to Aite’s report entitled “Life Settlements: Technology and Service Providers.” The research firm estimated that in 2009, life insurance policies with a combined death benefit valued at $8 billion were settled. In typical cases, the insured individuals who sold their policies over the secondary market received offers equivalent to 18% to 20% of their death benefits.

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D rilling for oil and natural gas is expected to rebound strongly across Canada this year, with a leading industry group saying Wednesday that some of the best new numbers are coming out of Alberta. In its most recent forecast, the Petroleum Services Association of Canada said a total of 9,000 new wells are expected to be drilled across Canada in 2010, a 12 per cent increase over 2009.

A disbarred attorney who courted politicians and star athletes and led a flamboyant lifestyle even by flashy South Florida standards pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges that he ran a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme. Scott Rothstein, 47, pleaded guilty to all five counts against him, including wire fraud, money-laundering conspiracy and a racketeering charge commonly used to take down Mafia chieftains. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 100 years in federal prison and at least $1.5 million in potential fines.

Upbeat bankers clashed with pessimistic economists on the opening day of the World Economic Forum, where the movers and shakers of global politics and business argued over whether to move forward with financial reforms — or to abandon what some claim would be a ruinous path toward over-regulation. Just hours ahead of President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address, bosses from Deutsche Bank, Lloyd’s and other financial giants warned Wednesday that a flood of new regulations risked choking off a global economy recovery. Others urged Obama, who has proposed restricting bank risk-taking, to push forward with stronger reforms.

All signs point toward staying fully invested, according to Howard Present, co-manager of the Virtus AlphaSector Rotation Fund (PWBAX). The $193 million fund, which relies on forward-looking quantitative analysis to determine allocations to the nine sectors making up the S&P 500, is looking like one of the hottest strategies around.