Noble Investments is launching NISapphire Notes offering multi-currency access to leading hedge funds through a managed portfolio.

The subscription period will run from 17 February to 31 March 2005.

The aim is to achieve consistent high average returns with low levels of volatility and capital protection on maturity from Barclays Bank plc. The subscription period for the notes, which offer daily liquidity and very high levels of transparency, is 17 February to 31 March 2005.

The portfolio combines two key hedge fund investment strategies - Managed Futures (CTAs) with Diversified Multi-Manager, Multi-Strategies - and will be advised by HFR Asset Management LLC.

Stewart Aldcroft, Regional Director, Asia for Noble Investments Hong Kong Limited, said: "By incorporating investments into hedge funds through a structured note, the investor is getting the best of both possible worlds. On the one hand he is invested into a portfolio that has the potential to do well in all market circumstances, on the other hand the asset is capital protected, thus there is the assurance of getting your money back, at the very least, on maturity."

Capital protected structured notes have become very popular with private banks throughout the Asian region, as a means to invest capital on behalf of their high net worth customers in a protected portfolio that offers true growth opportunities. In Korea, Taiwan and Singapore the local securities regulatory environment has encouraged their use by banks.

"Noble Investments strongly believe that strategy, transparency and liquidity in making investments into hedge funds are of ultimate importance to investors when considering the choices available to them," said Aldcroft. "We have chosen to work with HFR Asset Management who are part of the HFR Group, the publishers of the HFR Index which measures the performance of global hedge funds, to provide a portfolio capable of achieving sustained positive returns in most market conditions.

"Thirty per cent of the portfolio will be in Managed Futures (also known as CTAs), which we believe will benefit in 2005 from a return to trend-based market conditions."

NISapphire Notes will be available exclusively through professional distributors in the Asian region, including private banks and other financial advisers.

Background notes: Noble Investments is a subsidiary of the Noble Group. Noble Investments is based in Zurich, and focuses on the structuring and placement of capital protected hedge fund products to institutional clients globally.

The Noble Group is listed on the Singapore Exchange with its Headquarters in Hong Kong. It is Asia's leading company involved in the worldwide supply of raw materials, agricultural and transport resources, ship ownership chartering and management. The Group aims to link producers and consumers on a global basis, integrating the sourcing, marketing, processing and transportation of industrial and agricultural products.

HFR Asset Management, LLC is a subsidiary of the HFR Group, and based in Chicago, USA. HFR Asset Management has approximately USD 3.5bn in assets under management and is a leader in transparent hedge fund investing. 

Hedge Fund Research Inc is the largest distributor of hedge fund data globally, and publishes the widely-used HFR Index that measures the performance of hedge funds around the world. It was founded in 1993.