Managers
Data analytics and advisory company Convergence has launched its ‘Best Fit’ service for advisers allowing users to identify service providers who are most closely aligned with the operating complexity of their business model.
Convergence has identified 31 unique operating complexity factors that will help focus the choice of service provider based on data driven metrics.
Advisers can use Best Fit to streamline their service provider sourcing and RFP process by focusing on the most appropriate 'short list' of service providers based on the complexity factors that are most important to them. Best Fit can be used to create the right alignment upfront in the RFP process
The hedge fund industry produced an aggregate return of -1.20 per cent in September, dropping YTD returns further into negative territory for 2015, -2.35 per cent, according to eVestment’s latest Hedge Fund Performance Monthly Report.
The industry’s last annual decline was 2011 when average returns were -4.99 per cent and the S&P rose +2.11 per cent.
For many in the hedge fund industry, 2015 is shaping up as the worst year since 2011, if not since 2008. One primary difference between 2015 and 2011 is many major markets produced positive returns in 2011, more so on the credit side,
Deutsche Börse has completed its acquisition of trading platform 360T, following the approval of relevant antitrust authorities and the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
360T remains under the regulatory supervision of BaFin and operates under the existing management team. CEO Carlo Kölzer is joining Deutsche Börse’s Group Management Committee.
360T will be the centre of competence of Deutsche Börse Group’s global FX strategy. The 360T management is mandated to further develop and expand its highly successful business model as it will be empowered by the broad capabilities of Deutsche Börse Group.
The future set-up of 360T within
The private debt industry in Asia has already seen fundraising growth within the distressed debt and mezzanine segments in so far in 2015 compared to 2014. However, the industry in Asia is still far less established than in North America and Europe. Special situations funds have continued to see strong fundraising in the region, and the strategy is likely to once again be the most attractive avenue for exposure to Asian private credit.
Given the moderate fundraising for Asia-focused funds, dry powder levels have remained relatively stable, with USD6 billion in available capital. Mount Kellet Captial Management has held a
The Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GSFC) has signed MoUs with both the SFC and HKMA regarding consultation, cooperation and the exchange of information related to the supervision of AIFMD entities.
CEO of the GFSC, Samantha Barrass, says: “Signing the AIFMD MoUs with the two Hong Kong regulators is an important development for us. It supports open, strong cooperation with the SFC and the HKMA in our regulation of AIFMD establishments, and is a very useful tool for us as a regulator”.
These are very welcome agreements for the GFSC, especially following the recent marketing initiative to Hong Kong by
PwC has teamed up with IncuBus Ventures to launch Future of Work, a 12 week incubator programme that will focus on startups in AI, Cyber Security and Smart Office solutions.
The programme starts on 11 January 2016 and will look to develop early stage startups with an MVP ready for the world’s best accelerators and further funding.
This is done through nine hours of programme content (mentor sessions, skills based workshops and office hours) a week, plus additional services and activities to help develop a strong foundation for the startups to continue growth beyond the programme.
Applications are
OTAS Technologies’ advanced market intelligence and analytics is now available directly inside Thomson Reuters Eikon.
Two applications, OTAS Core Summary and OTAS Microstructure have been integrated to provide users with immediate access to OTAS analytics and visualisation tools for supporting trading, risk and portfolio management from within their Eikon workflow.
Tom Doris, CEO of OTAS Technologies, says: “OTAS is continually working to simplify life for our clients while ensuring they have access to the intelligence they need to make better trading decisions. One of the ways we do this is by keeping our platform open and easy to integrate
VAM Funds (VAM) has launched the VAM Close Brothers Cautious Fund, a Luxembourg-domiciled UCITS fund which is the second product in the VAM Discretionary Funds range, following the launch of the VAM Close Brothers Balanced Fund in July.
The VAM Discretionary Funds range will be completed by the VAM Close Brothers Growth Fund, which is due to be launched before the end of the year.
Nigel Watson (pictured), VAM Funds sales director, says: “The response from advisers to the Balanced Fund launch has been extremely positive, with the high levels of fund flows over the traditionally quiet summer period
Dry powder held by Europe-focused funds currently stands at a high of USD42 billion, led by particularly strong direct lending fundraising since 2013. As banking regulation and quantitative easing in the Eurozone have just begun to come into effect, managers in the region are increasingly dedicating resources and efforts to access lending opportunities in the underserved middle-market segment. This trend is expected to continue, fuelled by capital from institutional investors seeking strong returns through senior-focused vehicles in the direct lending segment.
Fifty-five percent of Europe-based investors are allocating to the asset class from private equity allocations, a figure which has
The Wilshire Liquid Alternative Index, which provides a representative baseline for how the broad liquid alternative investment category performs, returned -1.03 per cent in September, according to Wilshire Funds Management.
The Wilshire Liquid Alternative Index family is a joint offering between WFM and Wilshire Analytics, creator of the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index. The Wilshire Liquid Alternative Multi-Strategy Index, which includes both single and multi-manager funds, ended the month down -1.04 per cent.
“Largest Money Managers (US institutional tax-exempt assets)”
“Liquid alternatives significantly outpaced the broader equity and fixed income markets in September, with the Wilshire Liquid Alternative Index
