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Times Online – Alistair Darling has warned that he will impose tougher regulation to avoid a repeat of the banking crisis amid fears of a return of the bonus-driven, risk-taking culture in the City.
The Chancellor told The Independent newspaper that bankers who are too complacent will be “brought back to earth” by new legislation.
An important White Paper on the banking sector, due next week, will grant new powers to the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority (FSA), Mr Darling said.
He promised “new tools” for the regulatory bodies to strengthen their powers, which could mean that the FSA will be able to extend its reach to hedge funds, some of the riskiest investment funds.
West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.net) – Hedge fund risk and regulatory compliance solutions provider, FRSGlobal, is preparing to work with the hedge fund industry to help it comply with the new wave of global regulations expected to be in place later this year.
Compliance experts within FRSGlobal’s Centre of Risk & Regulatory Excellence (CoR2E) are actively monitoring the discussions taking place at the various U.S. regulatory agencies and are ready to advise hedge funds on the best ways to automate their reporting processes as soon as any new legislation is enacted.
"U.S. regulators are demanding more oversight of the hedge fund industry which means that registration is imminent, "Richard Ferrari, FRS Vice President, commented, "Hedge funds are going to be subject to far greater scrutiny than ever before. Whether it is increased transparency around the trading and valuation of OTC derivatives and structured products or the amount of leverage being taken on, regulators are going to require comprehensive, timely and accurate reporting, a requirement that hedge funds typically have little experience of.
"While the exact form of regulatory reporting is still to be finalized, it is clear from our discussions with market participants and U.S. governing bodies that there is going to be an overwhelming need for the kind of flexible risk and regulatory reporting tools developed by FRSGlobal that have helped hundreds of banks worldwide meet the their regulatory needs over the past twenty years. This experience and expertise is now going to be available to the hedge fund industry."
FRSGlobal’s unified platform has coverage for over 30 countries.
Alex Akesson
Editor for HedgeCo.Net Email: alex@hedgeco.net
HedgeCo.Net is a premier hedge fund database and community for qualified and accredited investors only. Membership on www.hedgeco.net is FREE and EASY. We also offer FREE LISTINGS for Hedge Funds!
EatrhTimes – In response to investor demand for greater transparency as well as pending new legislation, Grant Thornton LLP’s Financial Services practice is launching Hedge Fund Internal Control, Governance and Regulatory Compliance Services. These services will help funds attract new investors who might be wary of alternative investments in light of recent news. It will also assist funds in attracting and retaining investors and assets and help them prepare for pending legislation.
By the fourth quarter, Congress is expected to pass The Hedge Fund Transparency Bill of 2009, which would require investment companies or advisers that are exempt from normal registration, but have at least $50 million in assets under management (AUM), to register with the SEC. “Those funds that have already registered must be prepared for additional oversight and a more aggressive examination and enforcement agenda; those funds that have not yet registered may be required to create a complete internal control and compliance infrastructure in order to be prepared for the regulatory examination process,” said Jack Katz, national managing partner of Grant Thornton’s Financial Services practice. In addition to developing the internal control, compliance and governance facilities to comply with the new rules, firms may also be required to establish an anti-money laundering program and report suspicious activities.
New York (HedgeCo.Net) – Connecticut has long been a haven for the hedge fund industry; where light regulation and a dense population of ultra wealthy investors lure the most talented of hedge fund managers. But if some state lawmakers have their way, hedge funds will have to jump through a lot more hoops than they are used to, according to the Hartford Business Journal.
Under current law, hedge funds only allow accredited investors who have a net worth of $1 million or higher to participate. The proposed legislation would bump that minimum requirement up to $2.5 million, with institutions needing at least $5 million in assets.
The new legislation would also require hedge funds to provide greater transparency by disclosing their fees and other information about management or investment strategy. Hedge funds would also be required to obtain a state license as well as have an independent annual financial audit performed.
Many fear that by imposing these guidelines, Connecticut would have less of a draw, and many hedge fund managers could simply pack up and move to nearby metropolises like New York or Boston.
The pull for stricter oversight on hedge funds is by no means limited to the state level. Many members of Congress have been pushing for greater transparency after hedge funds got blasted for having a hand in the financial crisis thanks to controversial practices like short selling.
Others push for heightened regulation due to the recent outbreak of Ponzi schemes from so-called “trustworthy” individuals, like Arthur Nadel of Sarasota or the obvious case of Bernard Madoff where hundreds of investors were swindled out of their retirement. However, many who oppose the oversight based on increased fraud argue that investors are ultimately responsible for where their money goes and should perform greater due diligence themselves before trusting anyone with large sums of capital.
Republican State Representative John Stripp told the Hartford Business Journal that it’s not about a “vendetta against hedge funds,” just that “there is a need to have some kind of regulation in place.”
Even European finance ministers agreed this past weekend to the direct regulation of hedge funds overseas, leading most to believe that the era where hedge funds could get away with anything, is coming to an abrupt end.
Julie Scuderi Senior Editor for HedgeCo.Net Email: julie@hedgeco.net
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