Funds
HFR Asset Management this week announced the launch of the Advent Global Opportunity Strategy under the HFR Umbrella UCITS Fund plc, domiciled in Ireland and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland on 1 April. It is the first in a series of funds to launch on the platform.
The HFR UCITS Platform provides investment managers with a turnkey solution for launching their full investment strategy in a UCITS-compliant fund. Institutional investors gain exposure to a manager’s full investment strategy and receive all the benefits of the HFR Managed Account Platform, including daily risk management, performance estimates, ongoing due diligence, fund administration,
Private equity firm Northern Lights Capital Group, a provider of strategic capital and resources to boutique asset management firms, has made an investment in Buick Capital Partners.
Buick is an independent, London-based private placement firm, providing advisory and placement services to alternative investment managers with strategies ranging from liquid hedge funds to private equity and other longer-term special situations vehicles.
The new company will be re-named Northern Lights Alternative Advisors (NLAA) and will provide expanded distribution and strategic capabilities for Northern Lights in the UK and Europe. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Buick was founded
The UCITS Alternative Index Global ended April down 0.37 per cent to leave it slightly down for the year at -0.03 per cent, according to Alix Capital who manage the index family. Indeed, April proved a challenging month for most alternative UCITS strategies with only three able to generate positive returns. These included the UAI CTA, up 0.58 per cent, the UAI Commodities, up 0.38 per cent, and the UAI Fixed Income, up 0.25 per cent.
Equity strategies were hit hard.
The UAI Long//Short Equity recorded losses of -0.98 per cent whilst the UAI Equity Market Neutral returned -0.89 per
LGT Capital Partners has completed its merger with LGT Capital Management as of 25 April 2014. LGT Capital Management will be fully integrated as of 1 June 2014.
This move will see LGT Capital Partners strengthen its position as a leading provider of multi-alternatives solutions in Europe, increasing its assets under management to above USD 50 billion.
Following the completion of the required legal tasks, and with all legal and regulatory approvals having been granted, the operational integration will take place as of 1 June 2014. LGT's asset management business will operate under the name LGT Capital Partners, and
BNY Mellon has completed its acquisition of HedgeMark International, a provider of hedge fund managed account and risk analytic services.
Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
HedgeMark will become part of BNY Mellon’s asset servicing business, aligning with a number of groups, including its global risk solutions and alternative investment services units.
“HedgeMark’s capabilities align closely with many of our global investment services solutions and will help us deliver improved governance, risk reporting, and transparency to institutions with significant hedge fund investments. We are thrilled to welcome HedgeMark CEO Andrew Lapkin and his team to the
Schroders has confirmed the launch of a new externally-managed fund on its GAIA platform – Schroder Paulson Merger Arbitrge, subject to regulatory approval. The UCITS fund will be based on the fundamental merger arbitrage hedge fund run by well-known hedge fund manager John Paulson of Paulson & Co. A minimum 85 per cent overlap between the Schroder GAIA fund and the Paulson International Limited fund is expected.
The fund is benchmark unconstrained and will target an annualised return of 8-10 per cent net of fees, with expected volatility of 6-8 per cent. The Fund can invest globally in equity, equity
Global Derivatives Indices (GDI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Markets Exchange Group International (GMEX Group), is forming a strategic collaboration with Tullett Prebon Information (TPI).
The deal allows GDI the rights to use TPI’s high quality, independent over-the-counter derivatives data as part of its accurate and reliable index benchmarks.
GDI licenses its indices for the creation of futures contracts to group company Global Markets Exchange Group Limited (GMEX), which will launch a Multilateral Trading Facility later this year, subject to approval from the UK Financial Conduct Authority.
The initial launch will focus on the pioneering GMEX Constant Maturity
Euronext has signed a tripartite agreement with grain storage specialist Sénalia and LCH.Clearnet SA.
Euronext’s relationship with storage silos operated by Socomac and Sica Nord-Céréales will be harmonised under the agreement.
With 750,000 tonnes of milling wheat storage capacity in Rouen, Sénalia remains Euronext’s partner of reference, as it has been since the flagship contract was launched in 1998.
Euronext’s technical specification rules for its milling wheat futures contract and options contract now include this contractual agreement with Sénalia as well as its extension to the new silo delivery partners.
While the contract’s qualitative specifications remain the
Neuberger Berman this week announced the launch of its Emerging Market Debt Blend Fund, a sub-fund of its Irish-domiciled UCITS fund umbrella, Neuberger Berman Investment Funds plc., following the success of the US regulated version of the same strategy, which launched in September 2013.
The Fund follows the successful introduction to the firm’s UCITS fund range of the Neuberger Berman Emerging Market Debt Hard Currency, Local Currency and Corporate Debt Funds in July 2013 and the Neuberger Berman Short Duration Emerging Market Debt Fund in December 2013. The lead managers of the fund are Rob Drijkoningen and Gorky Urquieta, Co-Heads
Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) has entered into an agreement to acquire smart beta business Westpeak Global Advisors.
In addition to customisable solutions for smart beta investing, Westpeak also brings strategic alliances with global index providers and asset owners.
The transaction reinforces GSAM’s focus on investment innovations across global equity markets and in providing clients the opportunity to tailor their equity exposure to investment factors in a customised approach.
GSAM has also launched an Advanced Beta Strategies platform, which currently represents nearly USD30bn of assets under supervision. The foundation of this new platform will include the smart beta business
