Hedge funds posted strong returns in January on the back of rising risk appetite and rallying global equity markets. The Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index was up 1.98 per cent during the month, while the MSCI World Index gained 4.66 per cent. »

Eurex Exchange, the international derivatives marketplace, has admitted its first directly connected trading participant in Japan – Nissan Century Securities. »

Turkey and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) have the most Islamic Finance friendly tax systems out of eight countries in the MENA region, according to a study conducted by Mohammed Amin, Salah Gueydi and Hafiz Choudhury and sponsored by Qatar Financial Centre Authority in partnership with the International Tax and Investment Center, based in Washington DC.  »

Assets invested in exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded products listed in Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) reached a new all-time high of USD94.1bn at the end of January 2013, according to figures released by ETFGI. »

AziNam, the offshore Namibia focused exploration company, has opened an office in Dubai’s Multi Commodities Center in the JLT Free Zone in the United Arab Emirates, having established itself as one of the largest gross acreage holders offshore Namibia. »

SoftBank Capital, a venture group affiliated with Japan’s SoftBank Corp, has closed its USD250m SoftBank PrinceVille Investments fund. »