Mountaineer Partners Management, an opportunistic hedge fund focused on value and event-driven investments, has written an open letter to Vishay Intertechnology’s board of directors, urging the implementation of a $600m share buy-back programme.

The first sharp dip in US and European stocks this year prompted global hedge funds to up their borrowing to the highest level seen in five years in the week ending 19 April, according to a report by Reuters.

Alberto Gallo, CIO of $200m hedge fund Andromeda Capital Management, is betting that the ECB will cut interest rates just once or twice this year by selling European government bonds, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Hedge funds and other asset managers have upped their short wagers on the yen to record levels, with bets on the currency reaching 173,000 contracts as of 16 April, the highest level seen since 2006, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Increased domestic scrutiny by Chinese regulators has prompted several of the country’s data-driven quant trading funds including MS Capital and DH Fund Management to ramp up their international operations, according to a report by Reuters.