Mutual fund news in brief

* Robertson Stephens added a redemption fee to certain fund shares in August to discourage short-term trading, but has dropped the fee because of customer complaints.

* Because of the recent merger of the Van Kampen Merritt Companies with American Capital and Research, six funds with similar investment strategies will be merged into six other funds. The survivors will be known as VKAC Municipal Income, Limited Maturity Government, Reserve, Insured Tax-Free Income, Utility, and Growth and Income.

* Transamerica Investors, a subsidiary of the Transamerica Corp., started the Premier Portfolio of Funds, which are available without a sales charge (Investor Class) or with a charge (Adviser Class). Transamerica Equity owns undervalued growth companies; there are five others.