Funds
The value of assets invested in alternative UCITS funds has increased by 26 per cent annually since the financial crisis of 2008, according to Deutsche Bank Global Prime Finance’s 2016 Alternative UCITS Survey.
In this year’s survey, 130 institutional investors which collectively manage and/or advise on over USD700 billion in hedge fund assets and USD150 billion in alternative UCITS assets, share insights into their current allocation plans and investment preferences for alternative UCITS funds.
“Total assets managed by alternative UCITS funds have grown by 26 per cent annually since the 2008 global financial crisis to reach close to EUR400
Front Street Capital is to sell Jemekk Capital Management to J2 Capital Management, a newly created corporation controlled by Gerard Ferguson.
J2 Capital will be assigned the investment management and portfolio advisory agreements relating to the Jemekk Total Return Fund and the Jemekk Long/Short Fund, subject to J2 Capital obtaining registration under applicable securities legislation.
The transaction is expected to close on or prior to 15 November 2016.
In connection with the closing of the transaction, Ferguson (pictured) will be leaving Front Street Capital and will continue to manage the Jemekk funds through J2 Capital. In addition, it
Man Group plc has acquired Aalto Invest Holding AG and launched a new ‘private markets offering’, Man Global Private Markets, designed to offer longer term investments and complement their existing products. Man defines private markets as real estate, credit and infrastructure.
Founded in 2010 by Mikko Syrjänen and Petteri Barman, USD1.7 billion Aalto specialises in the management of real estate equity and debt strategies including direct investments in single family homes in the US and lending to commercial and residential real estate in Europe and the US. Man writes that Aalto has a strong track record across its differentiated product
The Castlewood Select Opportunity Fund posted a 1.6 per cent return net of fees and expenses in the third quarter.
According to Mark Wittenstein, managing partner of the Castlewood Select Funds, this puts Castlewood up 8.9 per cent year-to-date and caps a 12-month return of 28.8 per cent for the macro fund.
“We are extremely pleased with the fund’s performance to-date, particularly in view of our shift to reduce portfolio risk,” says Wittenstein, who expects some market turbulence heading into Q4.
“October is often an interesting period, marked by spikes in volatility. This year we have the added
The average hedge fund industry performance was +0.73 per cent in September, marking eight months of positive aggregate industry returns for the industry.
That’s according eVestment’s September 2016 Hedge Fund Performance Report.
Overall Q3 performance came in at +2.91 per cent in Q3 and year-to-date hedge fund returns stand at +4.40 per cent.
Among strategies, origination and financing funds (+1.65 per cent), activist funds (+1.29 per cent), distressed funds and long/short equity funds (both at +1.05 per cent) turned in the strongest performances in September. Activist funds won the quarter at +4.87 per cent and distressed funds won
Pioneer Investments has launched a global inflation-linked short-term strategy as an approach to managing against inflation risk.
The firm says the strategy aims to protect investors’ purchasing power and returns against inflation through the use of low duration global inflation-linked bonds.
The use of 1-5 years inflation-linked government bonds helps the strategy to be correlated with realised inflation in a low rates environment, as opposed to expected inflation.
“Often, the discussion about inflation risk only starts after it is already a problem and inflation hedges are expensive,” says Cosimo Marasciulo (pictured), head of European government bonds. “Current market
Hazeltree, a provider of integrated buy-side treasury management solutions, has added BlackRock to the partner network of Hazeltree LiquidityWeb, an integrated cash management and sweep platform.
The partnership provides mutual clients with an efficient way to manage cash and sweep unencumbered free cash to BlackRock money market funds.
Treasurers look to BlackRock for investment solutions that seek to meet their cash needs of safety, liquidity and yield. Over multiple interest rate cycles and varying market conditions, BlackRock has managed cash portfolios for many types of institutional investors including corporations, banks, insurance companies, private equity firms, and hedge funds.
BlackRock
Hedge funds were up 0.5 per cent during September, outperforming underlying markets as represented by the MSCI AC World Index (Local) which gained 0.19 per cent over the same period.
Close to 63 per cent of underlying constituent funds for the Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index were in positive territory, with majority of them being long/short equity mandated.
Japan hedge funds led performance among regional mandates, up 1.35 per cent ,while distressed debt managers topped the table across strategies, gaining 1.07 per cent over the same period.
As of 2016 year-to-date, hedge funds are up 3.35 per cent with
Management and technology consultancy Brickendon has merged with Spaarks, a software consultancy specialising in rapid technology-led business solutions.
The merger is expected to grow the combined business by 150 per cent over the next 12 months. The combined group will have an expanded range of solutions to further support clients in the financial services market.
Since Brickendon launched in 2010, the company has achieved 200 per cent growth per annum. It recently opened an office in New York City.
By consolidating its services with Spaarks, Brickendon will gain new global opportunities, including a foothold in Australia’s financial services
SunOpta, a company focused on organic, non-genetically modified and specialty foods, has entered into an agreement with funds managed by alternative asset management firm Oaktree Capital Management.
Oaktree is an investor in the consumer and retail industry, with a track record of driving growth in complex consumer businesses, including AdvancePierre Foods, Campofrío Food Group and Diamond Foods.
In reaching this agreement with Oaktree, SunOpta has concluded the previously announced review of strategic alternatives for the company.
Under the agreement, Oaktree has invested USD85 million in SunOpta in the form of exchangeable preferred shares. Proceeds from the investment have
