The $244 billion Total Return fund, the world’s biggest mutual fund, rose 1.7 percent in the past month, beating 93 percent of rivals and accounting for almost half of the fund’s 3.6 return so far this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Gross, who last month told clients he hasn’t lost his touch after missing the biggest quarterly rally in Treasuries since 2008, was helped by a rebound in riskier assets such as corporate credit and non-U.S. holdings. Total Return has 21 percent of assets in corporate debt and 33 percent in securities outside the U.S., and owns inflation-linked bonds that rise with expectations for higher consumer prices.

Expectations of gradually higher inflation have favored TIPS versus nominal Treasuries as well as corporate/financial bonds, Gross wrote in an e-mailed response to questions. In addition, holdings in the U.K.

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The advantages of conduit loans are unique for each player involved. A borrower can lock in a low interest rate, often lower than market standards, in exchange for accepting a less flexible mortgage. The lender has the opportunity to resell the loan on the security market, freeing up capital instead of leaving it tied into a loan. The investor, the final player, has a chance to make a profit from mortgage lending without ever issuing a loan. All of these advantages hinge on the assumption the borrower can repay the debt on time.

Halloween, just a week from today, is an enjoyable holiday for all ages. There’s trick-or-treating for the young ones, parties and haunted houses for the older children, and scaring the trick-or-treaters that come to your door as an adult. But all of the efforts that go into making Halloween special can run up quite a bill. You open your credit card bill in November, just as the winter holiday shopping begins, and–BOO! You’re spooked by Halloween charges. Read on to learn stats about spending and tips to avoid exorbitant Halloween costs.

First, though, the National APR Average dropped last week, from 15% to 14.99%. Though that seems a small change, it’s notable that this is the first drop in the National APR for three months.

The National Retail Federation performed its ninth annual survey of Halloween spending habits this year. They found that 161 million Americans, or 68.6% of the population, plan to celebrate Halloween this year.

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This week on Talk Credit Radio: Friday October 21, 2011

Tune into Talk Credit Radio this week with Credit.coms personal finance expert Gerri Detweiler, live from 4-5 ET/1-2 PT onWSRQ.

Need a Job? Get Picky!

It sounds counter-intuitive, but career coach and highly successful recruiter Judi Perkins says that even in this tight job market, being picky can help you land a better job.

This week on Talk Credit Radio, Perkins will share the six questions you should always ask on a job interview to increase your chances of getting the perfect job. Judi Perkins, the How-To Career Coach, was a recruiter for 22 years and worked with hundreds of hiring authorities from entry level through CEO. She set up over 15,000 interviews, and has seen over half a million resumes.

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