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West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.net) - According to a recent survey conducted by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), a poll of 1,300 sophisticated private investors showed that 15% believed that hedge funds offer the potential for strong returns in the current environment. However they are also concerned about their perceived lack of transparency (17%) and riskiness (17%).
Investors are also cautious about hedge funds because they believe that they are not regulated (14%), and are concerned about the reputation for high charges (12%). Some investors also find them confusing (11%) and believe they are only accessible to the wealthy (5%).
Although some sophisticated private investors are wary of hedge funds, 6% of those surveyed are already investing in hedge funds, 5% have invested in the past and 3% are planning to invest in the future. Interestingly, nearly half (46%) of investors believe they may possibly invest in hedge funds in the future whilst only 29% of investors surveyed would never invest in hedge funds.
"Many of these investors’ concerns over hedge funds are addressed through the listed hedge fund and fund of hedge funds sectors," Annabel Brodie-Smith, Communications Director of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) said, "The listed structure of closed ended hedge funds and fund of funds means investors have access to a much higher level of transparency. Shares in listed funds are available on the stock market just like any other share so they are available to those of modest means as well as the super wealthy."
"This is a real growth area of the industry with the hedge fund sector making up 65% of the assets raised this year in the investment company sector. However, it is still a young sector, so long-term performance records are not available for the majority. Investors need to do their homework to make sure they select the right fund for them in this diverse sector and if they are unsure they should take independent financial advice," she concluded.
Ian Plenderleith, Chairman of BH Macro, said, "Hedge funds who can maintain the necessary standards of investment expertise and risk management have demonstrated that they can deliver superior returns on a consistent basis. Listed hedge fund vehicles give a wider range of investors access to alternative investment strategies through an avenue they are familiar with. They get the benefit of the regulatory safeguards and disclosure obligations, and the secondary market liquidity that go with stock exchange listing."
Robin Bowie, Chairman of Dexion Capital, said: "When dislocation in financial markets reaches the present level, it provides an ideal environment for hedge funds, which are well-placed to make opportunistic investments where they recognise value and can hedge out the market risk. Some of those positions will be illiquid, which will be unsuitable for most managers of open-ended funds. Closed-ended funds employ ‘permanent capital’, raised on the stock exchange, which allow managers to blend liquid and illiquid assets and take advantage of the current mismatch in the markets. In essence, closed-ended funds bring liquidity to illiquid situations."
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Reuters - The U.S. Labor Department should provide pension plans with guidance on investing in hedge funds and private equity, a report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said on Wednesday.
The report found that pension plans are investing more and more in alternate investments like hedge funds, which are traditionally less transparent and riskier.
Available data of mid- to large-size plans show that between 21 and 27 percent invest in hedge funds and more than 40 percent invest in private equity, said the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress.
Because hedge funds and private equity investments are exempt from federal regulations that generally apply to other pension plan investments, the GAO recommended that the Secretary of Labor provide greater clarity on the differences between safe and unsafe investments.
Reuters - The U.S. Labor Department should provide pension plans with guidance on investing in hedge funds and private equity, a report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said on Wednesday.
The report found that pension plans are investing more and more in alternate investments like hedge funds, which are traditionally less transparent and riskier.
Available data of mid- to large-size plans show that between 21 and 27 percent invest in hedge funds and more than 40 percent invest in private equity, said the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress.
Because hedge funds and private equity investments are exempt from federal regulations that generally apply to other pension plan investments, the GAO recommended that the Secretary of Labor provide greater clarity on the differences between safe and unsafe investments.
The Labor Department said it would consider the feasibility of developing specific guidance. But said guidance may be difficult to develop given the lack of uniformity in describing hedge funds, private equity funds and their investments and operations.
Bloomberg - Citadel Investment Group LLC, the Chicago-based asset-management firm founded by Kenneth Griffin, is seeking about $1 billion for a new global macro hedge fund, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
The fund is set to be managed in London by Kaveh Alamouti, 54, whom Citadel hired this year from New York-based Moore Capital Management LLC, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. Citadel oversees $20 billion.
Macro funds, which attempt to profit from broad economic trends by trading stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities, gained an average of 3.7 percent this year through July, according to data compiled by Chicago-based Hedge Fund Research Inc. All funds lost an average of 3.4 percent.
"Citadel is as good as they get,” said Tammer Kamel, president of Toronto-based Iluka Consulting Group Ltd., which advises clients on investing in hedge funds. “They have a reputation that will ease the current difficulties that hedge funds face in raising capital.”
FierceFinance- Hedge fund regulation is a hot topic right now. But we’ve heard only a little about that perennial issue: whether retail investors should be allowed more–or less–access to funds. Current proposals, driven by the credit crunch, would make it harder to qualify as an accredited investor. AllAboutAlpha suggests that current proposals would result in a drop in the pool of retail assets by about 50 percent.
Perhaps this is not a bad time to revisit the idea. The age-old thought has been that most retail investors generally lack the sophistication necessary to really invest safely in hedge funds. But AllAboutAlpha notes a recent article by Houman Shadab of George Mason University that argues retail investors are actually hurt by restrictions on investing in hedge funds. He makes a number of good points, one of which is the idea that most hedge funds are not as complex as publicly traded corporations. In some cases, understanding various financial and other companies requires a certain amount of knowledge.
Wealth Bulletin- Money managers at public pension funds have adopted a surprisingly bullish stance on investing in hedge funds despite the turmoil plaguing the alternative investment vehicles, a recent survey by Hedge Fund Manager Week showed, according to a report in The New York Times.
About 50% of the respondents said they already allotted a portion of their capital towards hedge funds. Interestingly, none of them intend to decrease the amount in the next three years, with 41% in fact planning to raise their exposure to hedge funds.
West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.Net)- Hedge Fund Investor AIG and Advisor Larch Lane have announced the formation of a joint venture to make seed investments in hedge funds. The joint venture seeks to capitalize on synergies between AIG Investments’ global alternative investment and hedge fund capabilities and Larch Lane’s specialization in hedge fund seeding.
Targets may include hedge fund start-ups, teams leaving established hedge funds, and established hedge funds in need of restructuring. They anticipate investing $50-200 million per deal across a wide range of hedge fund strategies and geographies.
"Talented investors are leaving large hedge funds to start their own businesses, but many of them have not been able to reach their capital targets." Mark Jurish, Larch Lane’s CEO said, "The current supply/demand imbalance for start-up hedge fund capital represents the best seeding opportunity I’ve ever seen"
AIG Investments manages over $10 billion of hedge fund assets and has been investing in hedge funds for 26 years. AIG is currently invested in more than 130 hedge funds, including emerging managers. Larch Lane, the alternative investment affiliate of Old Mutual Asset Management, is among the pioneers in the hedge fund seeding business and has made a total of 22 seed investments over the course of the last seven years.