Funds
Hedge funds gained in December to end 2017 with positive returns in every month, the first perfect calendar year of positive performance since 2003.
The HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index climbed 0.9 per cent in December, topping the monthly performance of most equity markets, including the Nasdaq, Russell 2000, Nikkei 225, Shanghai Composite and France’s CAC 40.
The advance brings the FY 2017 performance to a gain of 8.5 per cent, the best calendar year performance since 2013, extending the record Index Value to 14,054, according to data released today by HFR, the established global leader in the indexation,
Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited (Hang Seng Indexes) has launched the Hang Seng SCHK New Economy Index, which aims to reflect the performance of companies available for southbound trading under the Stock Connect scheme that operate in ‘New Economy’ industries.
The new index provides a reference benchmark for investors who are interested in companies focusing on services and innovative technology. The universe of the new index covers securities from 29 sub-sectors, including Automobiles, Telecommunication Services and Pharmaceuticals. In addition, companies in the Consumer Goods, Consumer Services and Financials industries that mainly conduct their business using an online platform are also
AllianceBernstein has launched the AB Alternative Risk Premia Portfolio offering institutional investors a way of accessing alternative sources of return in a systematic and cost effective manner.
The strategy is designed to provide a low correlation from traditional asset classes with relative attractive returns. The fund launches with over EUR 200 million/ GBP190 million of investments from clients.
The portfolio’s multi-strategy approach allocates to more than fifty alternative risk premia strategies including long/short equity, equity market neutral, event driven, macro, and CTA/managed futures. Portfolio Managers Stuart Davies (pictured), and Vikas Kapoor have over 23 years of industry experience, including
Stater Blockchain Limited, the owner of FCA regulated Prime of Prime brokerage Stater Global Markets, is to acquire Hashcove Limited, a UK-based blockchain focused tech company co-founded by Kunal Nandwani.
Hashcove has deep domain expertise in Smart Contracts and KYC and has customised solutions including the Cove Identity App for blockchain-based document verification. Additionally, Hashcove also provides technology around Crypto Exchanges and Wallets. Their 20-strong team of blockchain technologists represent the best of breed within the domain of distributed ledger and digital currency.
According to Tim Connell, Owner, Stater Blockchain: “Our strategy has always been to focus on best of breed technologies
Willis Towers Watson’s Asset Management Exchange (AMX) has more than quadrupled its assets under management, to USD3.2 billion, less than a year after launch, following the onboarding of GSA Capital Partners (GSA) and Systematica Investments (Systematica).
AMX, the open architecture exchange, focuses on providing asset owners with a smarter, easier and cheaper way to access managers, while offering managers access to significant global capital. Since launch in February 2017, the AUM on the exchange has grown by over 300 per cent, with eight funds now onboard and a significant further pipeline.
Oliver Jaegemann, Global Head of AMX, says: “AMX
The total value of funds business in Guernsey grew by approximately GBP20 billion over the 12 months to the end of the third quarter of this year.
Figures from the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) show that, at the end of September 2017, the net asset value of all funds under management and administration in Guernsey stood at GBP269 billion – an 8 per cent increase on September 2016. The figures also confirm two consecutive years of growth, with the net asset value of funds growing by nearly GBP25 billion between Q3 2015 and Q3 2016.
The annual increase was
Angel Oak Capital Advisors (Angel Oak), an investment management firm specialising in mortgage credit, has raised USD291 million in capital commitments for its first private credit fund.
Having exceeded the initial fundraising goal of USD250 million, the Angel Oak Real Estate Investment Fund I is now closed to new investors.
The Fund, which invests primarily in non-qualified mortgages (Non-QM), provides investors access to the growing opportunity in non-bank lending to creditworthy borrowers who have been unable to obtain residential mortgages since the credit crisis.
Angel Oak is well positioned in the private residential mortgage market given the firm’s expertise in
REX Shares, LLC (REX), a provider of alternatives strategy funds and ETFs, has partnered with Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of BKCM (BKCM) and an investor in REX, to develop a line of ETFs and other funds designed to give investors exposure to the blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and digital assets sectors.
Kelly will serve as a portfolio manager for the suite of funds.
REX and BKCM see a large demand for regulated investment products that give exposure to the potential value creation taking place with the evolution of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. REX Shares founder and CEO Greg King is
By Don Steinbrugge, Agecroft Partners – Each year, Agecroft Partners predicts the top hedge fund industry trends stemming from our contact with more than two thousand institutional investors and hundreds of hedge fund organisations.
The hedge fund industry is dynamic, and participants are best served by anticipating, rather than reacting to, change. Below are Agecroft’s 9th annual predictions for the biggest trends in the hedge fund industry for 2018.
Hedge fund industry assets to reach an all-time high in 2018 for the 10th year in a row
Despite the plethora of negative articles about the hedge fund industry, hedge fund assets
Beam Capital Management has launched the Blockchain Leaders SMA, a separately managed account strategy focused on investing in the publicly traded securities of companies utilising, developing, facilitating or investing in Blockchain technology.
Mohannad Aama, CFP, FRM, Beam Capital Management’s Chief Investment Officer will serve as portfolio manager.
“We are delighted to introduce this pioneering strategy to the separately managed account market. Blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt several industries. We expect the universe of publicly traded Blockchain stocks to significantly increase in 2018 and beyond,” says Mohannad Aama (pictured). “We believe that a professionally managed separately managed account offers
