Each business day HedgeCo.Net keeps you informed with the top hedge fund industry news, opinion and insight from around the globe. From the latest hedge fund launches, to the impact of regulation, competition, and investor activism - we track the topics and people that make a difference to you.
Business Intelligence Middle East – As the eye-popping profits of hedge funds dry up amid the financial crisis, the industry looks set to shrink substantially in its European headquarters of London over the next year.
Discretion is everything in London’s exclusive Mayfair district which is quietly home to a third of the world’s hedge funds, the highly speculative investment vehicles often blamed when markets plunge.
A small brass plaque on a door tucked in between Chanel and Versace boutiques is often the only sign of their existence. But those highly polished doors cannot hold back the same chaos that has swept through the rest of the finance world.
John Godden, CEO at hedge fund consultancy IGS Group, is one of the rare figures in a secretive world to speak openly about the scale of the problems.
He was in the process of drawing up next year’s aims for his group when US investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed in September, and panic buttons were pressed all over the financial world.
Forbes – In light of the higher risks which are sweeping global markets, Finvest Asset Management is set to launch a new capital protected offering for investors who are seeking to generate annual returns of between 12-20 percent in a low risk structure.
The total offering is for $500 million and is open to non-U.S. investors only. It is anticipated, based on early interest in the product, that the product will be oversubscribed. The capital protected investment vehicle will be protected by a AAA institution which will not have any association with an investment bank or exposure to sub-prime which has been a crippling factor to global markets, and an issue of concern through the current credit crunch crisis. In an environment where cash is king, and several high profile hedge funds have experienced blow outs, this capital protected product offers investors an alternative possibility of security and the ability to earn above average risk adjusted returns.
West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.Net)- Sidley Austin has further expanded its hedge fund practice in London by hiring a new counsel in the Investment Funds, Advisers and Derivatives practice.
Barry Breen has joined the firm’s London office and will focus his practice on hedge funds and further expand Sidley’s fund capabilities in London. "Barry is a talented and experienced hedge fund lawyer and we are pleased to have him join us to enhance our growing fund capabilities in Europe," said Bruce Gardner, head of the hedge fund practice in London.
Breen will advise clients on the organization of offshore and onshore hedge funds, including master/feeder,fund of funds and side by side investment structures, commodity pools, registered fund of funds and mutual funds, ETFs, and the registration, regulation and governance of registered management investment companies.
"I am thrilled to join a firm with such a respected and renowned global investment funds practice," said Breen. "I look forward to working with Bruce, David and the other partners in the practice to continue to build and strengthen the funds team in London, Europe and globally."
Breen previously was with Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP in the Financial Services, Hedge Funds and Capital Markets practice operating out of their New York and London offices.
Sidley has a international practice in structuring and advising investment funds and advisers. In 2006 and 2007, the Alpha Awards(TM) for hedge fund service providers ranked Sidley as the number one onshore hedge fund law firm. Additionally, in 2008, the firm was named "Investment Funds Team of the Year for the U.S." by Chambers and Partners. In 2007, Sidley also was named Investment Funds Law Firm of the Year by Asian Legal Business. The Investment Funds, Advisers and Derivatives practice group consists of more than 100 lawyers in Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Singapore and Tokyo.
CityWire.co.uk- Skandia has launched an offshore protected fund of funds which aims to offer capital protection alongside investment returns from the global equity markets.
The Royal Skandia Protected Portfolio Investment Global Vista Life fun (PPI Global Vista) will offer exposure to global markets in a protected environment through equally weighted positions in AXA Framlington Emerging Markets Acc fund, Henderson European Opportunities A Acc fund, Invesco Perpetual Global Bond Inc fund, M&G Global Basics A Euro Acc fund and Schroder US Smaller Companies Inc fund.
It will be available to UK investors via Skandia’s offshore portfolio bonds and offers 100% capital protection plus 100% of the quarterly averaged growth at maturity. There is also an enhanced allocation of 104%.
The fund has a fixed five year term and will return the final redemption value to the bond at the end of the term offering the opportunity to reinvest the proceeds into an alternative investment vehicle.
U.S. Daily- Belgian-Dutch financial services group Fortis received $630 million in capital from Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov as part of its recent share issue, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Fortis, which last week raised 1.5 billion euros ($2.4 billion) from the heavily discounted share issue, secured the money from Kerimov’s Swiss-based investment vehicle, Millennium Group, as part of the share issue, the people told the newspaper.
Independent- Citigroup is coming under pressure to bail out investors in one of its troubled hedge funds, in another embarrassment for a company already among the biggest losers from the credit crisis.
The company has begun quietly asking private clients to accept a $250m compensation package, in return for dropping legal claims against the company. Banks which have sunk an estimated $1.6bn into the fund are also examining their legal options.
The problems stem from Citigroup’s Falcon Strategies hedge fund, an investment vehicle that traded mortgage bonds, government debt and a range of credit derivatives, which began experiencing big losses when the credit markets ran into difficulties last summer. Thousands of Citigroup clients – advised to invest in the fund by brokers at its Smith Barney wealth management division – face being wiped out.
