Bloomberg- ABN Amro Holding NV, the biggest Dutch bank, expects to sell $500 million of commodities products to investors in Asia this year, about five times more than 2006, driven by demand frominsurance companies and money managers.
The products will offer a “hedge-fund type strategy” so investors can benefit from declines as well as gains in commodities, Matthew Wong, head of private investor products in Asia for ABM Amro, said in Shanghai yesterday. The money will be raised in Asia outside of Japan.
Investments in commodity hedge funds may rise to about $35 billion by the end of the year as more traders start their own funds to take advantage of wider price swings, according to Cole Asset Management. Bear Stearns Cos., the biggest broker for U.S. hedge funds, is expanding its commodities business in New York London and Hong Kong to meet rising demand.
