Vanguard on Wednesday morning lowered the minimum initial investments for the low-cost Admiral Share classes of more than 50 active and passive funds. It dropped the ante for broad market index fund Admiral Shares to $10,000 from $100,000. Many of Vanguard's actively managed stock and bond funds also lowered their Admiral Shares minimums to $50,000 from $100,000.

The news means big savings for investors. For example, Admiral Shares of Vanguard Total Stock Market Index (NASDAQ:VTSAX - News) charge a rock-bottom fee of 0.07%, while Investor Shares with a minimum investment of $3,000 cost 0.18%. Fees for the Admiral Shares narrowly eke past Schwab Total Stock Market Index (NASDAQ:SWTSX - News), which last year lowered its expense ratio to 0.09% (after fee waivers) and has a minimum investment of $100. Meanwhile, Fidelity Spartan Total Market Index (NASDAQ:FSTMX - News) has a minimum investment of $10,000 and charges 0.10%.

The cost savings are similarly strong with Vanguard Total Bond Market Index VBTLX, where the Admiral Shares cost 0.12%, and the Investor Shares charge 0.22%. Another noteworthy difference is Vanguard Wellington Admiral Shares (NASDAQ:VWENX - News), which cost 0.23% compared with the 0.34% fee on Investor Shares.

While a $10,000 hurdle on index funds and $50,000 for active funds is steep for many investors, Vanguard says nearly half their individual investor client base should now qualify for the Admiral Shares. Investors rolling over assets from employer 401(k) plans may find the lower minimums more attractive.

Top U.S. technology bosses met with White House officials on Wednesday to recommend how to use technology to cut deficits by $1 trillion over 10 years and offer advice on boosting the country's sluggish economy.

The Technology CEO Council said six chief executives led by IBM Corp's Samuel Palmisano would suggest ways to boost government worker productivity and save taxpayer money.

"America's growing national debt is undermining our global competitiveness," the council said. "How we choose to confront and address this challenge will determine our future environment for growth and innovation."

President Barack Obama is anxious to counter claims he is anti-business and has frequently invited corporate chiefs to the White House to pick their brains.

He also has voiced openness to lowering corporate tax levels and cutting red tape after criticism that his reforms raise the cost of doing business in the United States.

Voters, worried by U.S. unemployment stuck near 10 percent, are likely to punish Obama's Democrats in November midterm congressional elections, while Republicans have turned a record budget deficit into a potent criticism of Obama's presidency.

The technology executives will meet with top Obama advisers, including National Economic Council Director Larry Summers and White House Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Austan Goolsbee, as well as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The other corporate bosses were Motorola Inc's Greg Brown, Intel Corp's Paul Otellini, Micron Technology Inc's Steven Appleton, Michael Splinter of Applied Materials Inc and EMC Corp's Joseph Tucci.

The law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that class action lawsuits have been brought on behalf of purchasers of the common stock of Beckman Coulter, Inc. between July 31, 2009 and July 22, 2010, inclusive (the "Class Period").

If you purchased Beckman common stock during the Class Period, you may move the Court for appointment as lead plaintiff by no later than November 2, 2010. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your share of any recovery in this action will not be affected by your decision of whether to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. You may retain Lieff Cabraser, or other attorneys, as your counsel in this action.

Beckman shareholders that wish to learn more about this action and how to seek appointment as lead plaintiff should visit Lieff Cabraser's website at http://lieffcabraser.com/cases.php?CaseID=346 or contact attorney Sharon Lee toll free at (800) 541-7358.

Background on Beckman Coulter Securities Class Litigation

The actions, pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, were brought against Beckman and certain of its officers and directors for violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Beckman, headquartered in Brea, California, is a manufacturer and marketer of biomedical testing instrument systems, tests, and supplies.

The complaints in the above-mentioned actions allege that during the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding Beckman's financial condition and business prospects. Specifically, defendants allegedly failed to disclose quality and compliance issues with respect to Beckman's troponin test, a critical care test used to aid in the diagnosis of cardiac events, and that the Company made certain modifications to the troponin test without obtaining required clearance from the Food and Drug Administration. In addition, defendants allegedly failed to disclose that Beckman failed to maintain proper controls with respect to product quality and regulatory compliance.

On July 22, 2010, Beckman reported disappointing results for the second quarter of 2010 and reduced its full-year 2010 guidance due in substantial part to troponin quality and compliance issues. On this news, Beckman's stock plummeted $12.64 per share, or more than 21 percent, to close at $47.26 per share on July 23, 2010.

About Lieff Cabraser

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with offices in San Francisco, New York and Nashville, is a nationally recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility.

Since 2003, the National Law Journal has selected Lieff Cabraser as one of the top plaintiffs' law firms in the nation. In compiling the list, the National Law Journal examined recent verdicts and settlements in addition to overall track records. Lieff Cabraser is one of only two plaintiffs' law firms in the United States to receive this honor for the last seven consecutive years.

For more information about Lieff Cabraser and the firm's representation of investors, please visit http://www.lieffcabraser.com.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

SOURCE: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP

Stocks fell Monday as investors took a pause from a historic rally in September and held back ahead of a busy week of economic and earnings reports.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell about 100 points in midday trading after a report showed factory orders fell slightly more than expected in August, but pending home sales rose a bit more than forecast.

Analysts say the market was due for a pullback following a 10.4 percent gain in the Dow last month. The monthlong rally has come on relatively low volume, a sign that many investors are still waiting on the sidelines.

Doug Roberts, chief investment strategist at Channel Capital Research, said the market has been trading in a broad range over the past six months. And with it approaching the high end of that range, a pullback is natural.

The market has been "alternating between euphoria and despair," Roberts said of the wide trading range dating back to late April, when stocks hit their high for the year.

This week brings a number of potentially important news events for stocks, including the monthly jobs survey on Friday and earnings from Dow component Alcoa Inc. on Thursday, the traditional kickoff to the quarterly earnings season.

Nearly two million policyholders of Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSX:GWO) and its London Life subsidiary could get payouts of an average $300 each after the company lost a class-action lawsuit over the financing of an acquisition it made 13 years ago.

A $455.7-million settlement is set to be distributed amongst 1.8 million Canadians after a judge in London, Ont. ruled Friday that Great-West breached sections of the Insurance Companies Act. when it transferred money from the accounts of subsidiaries London Life Insurance Co. and Great-West Life Assurance Co. to finance the 1997 takeover of London Insurance Group.

After a 45-day trial in London, Ont., Justice Johanne Morissette ordered Great-West Life, which is controlled by Montreal giant Power Financial Corp. (TSX:PWF), to pay $372 million to policyholders of London Life and $84 million to those of Great West Life.

All Canadians who held a participating life insurance policy of London Life Insurance Company or The Great-West Life Assurance Company between 1997 and the judgement issued Friday will be eligible for the one-time dividend, if the ruling holds up on an expected appeal.

Depending on the type of policy and how much was invested, the amount each policyholder receives could vary from as little as $50 to as much as $6000, but the average will be about $300 each, said a source familiar with the case who did not want to be named as it is still before the courts.

According to the terms of the judgement, a litigation trustee is to be set up and will distribute the assets in the trust as dividends.

Great West Life has said it will appeal the decision and that several aspects of the decision are "in error."

The company could not be reached for comment Monday. However, it said in a press release that even if the decision is upheld it is not expected to have a material impact on the capital position of the companies.