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ML Capital Asset Management, the investment manager and promoter of the MontLake UCITS platform, has published the 4th edition of the quarterly ML Alternative UCITS Barometer (ML Barometer).
ML Capital surveyed a diverse range of active investors in Alternative Investments, who collectively manage over EUR80 billion and today invest upwards of EUR30 billion of those assets into Alternative UCITS Funds. Questions are aimed at discovering their forthcoming strategy allocations and are asked each quarter to the same respondents in order to track asset flows between UCITS strategies.
The range of allocators surveyed is purposely diverse, to reflect the widening of
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC’s) Office of General Counsel has issued a no-action letter on 24 October, 2011, permitting the offer and sale in the United States of Taiwan Futures Exchange’s futures contract based on the GTEX.
The GTEX is a broad-based, free-float, market-capitalisation-weighted composite index of highly capitalised and actively traded stocks listed on the board of the GreTai Securities Market, a non-profit organisation modelled after the NASDAQ. The GTEX index provides a performance benchmark for the Taiwanese over-the-counter securities market. As of 12 September, 2011, the total adjusted market capitalisation of the GTEX was approximately USD52 billion.
Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays Bank PLC, has launched its ManagerAccess Indices, a family of investible indices that aim to provide investors with liquid exposure to specific hedge funds strategy returns.
Investing in hedge funds continues to present investors with challenges. Over the past few years, events such as net asset value suspensions and gating have highlighted some of the inherent risks in hedge fund investing. Investors are placing higher requirements on the liquidity, transparency and asset protection of their hedge fund holdings. This has resulted in more thorough due-diligence processes and increased stringent governance requirements for
Maples Fund Services has expanded its middle office capabilities with the launch of consolidated reporting for institutional investors.
This expansion will enhance the ability of investment teams to actively monitor and manage the sophisticated investment strategies needed to achieve superior risk-return ratios.
The consolidated reporting offering builds on Maples Fund Services’ leading middle office solutions, and is tailored by teams of industry experts and information technology professionals to meet each institutional investor’s specific requirements. Proprietary technology developed by Maples Fund Services aggregates data across all assets, renders consolidated information on an online dashboard, and produces customised analytical reports.
“There is
An overwhelming majority (83%) of senior executives representing UK corporates do not believe that the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) will be sufficient in securing confidence in Eurozone sovereign debt markets, according to a survey of senior executives at a client briefing hosted by Investec Corporate & Institutional Treasury (‘Investec’), part of Investec Bank plc.
Despite the fact that a staggering 93% of executives surveyed are concerned (37% were ‘very concerned’) about the potential risks posed to their businesses by the Eurozone crisis, three fifths (60%) expect their firms to grow over the next 12 months. Nearly half (47%) predict
Northern Trust has appointed Robert P Morgan to lead a new unit, Northern Trust Alternatives Group, formed to develop and manage all alternative investment products, including hedge and private equity funds of funds, for institutional and personal clients.
Northern Trust Alternatives Group brings together portfolio management, product, sales and service teams to build on the private equity and hedge fund solutions that have been part of Northern Trust’s manager-of-managers business. Morgan, who had previously been Director of Private Equity, oversees approximately USD3.5 billion under management or advisory as Managing Director of the new group.
"Alternative investment products have experienced substantial
General Atlantic LLC, Robert M Bass, and senior management have made an investment in Oak Hill Advisors and purchased a minority stake held by iStar Financial, Inc.
The transaction increases the management team’s majority interest in Oak Hill Advisors and, with Bass, brings GA, a leading global growth equity firm, as a minority investor into the company. Bass co-founded Oak Hill Advisors’ first investment fund and has maintained a strategic relationship with the firm since its formation.
“We are excited to be increasing management’s ownership of the firm. In addition, we are delighted to have the commitment and support of
Phoenix Fund Services has won the contract to provide the middle office, fund accounting and transfer agency services for the Coppertree Dynamic Fund.
The Coppertree Dynamic Fund is a Bermuda domiciled fund with an absolute return investment objective through investing in special situations. These may include directional trades, as well as relative value and event driven plays. The basis for alpha generation is extensive market experience, combined with ongoing in-depth research.
David Atkinson, Founding Partner of CopperTree Capital Management, says: “We were looking for a solution that would help us focus on our investment strategy, whilst strengthening our internal processes.
Hanzevast has become the first issuer of bonds on NYSE Alternext in Amsterdam – the platform of NYSE Euronext that meets the needs of small and mid-sized companies seeking simplified access to the stock market.
Cees Vermaas, CEO of NYSE Euronext Amsterdam, says: "We are delighted to welcome Hanzevast on NYSE Alternext. Especially for SMEs, the engine of our Dutch economy, it is vital to be able to raise capital for future growth. Our platform NYSE Alternext can meet the companies’ financing needs. Where banks are currently cautious in lending, NYSE Alternext offers SMEs an excellent alternative to raise capital
BNP Paribas Securities Services (BNP Paribas) has unveiled an expanded range of market and financing services to support the increasingly sophisticated requirements of institutional investors and financial intermediaries. 


Alongside custody, clearing and fund administration, the custodian bank’s Market and Financing Services business line now offers principal and agency lending, foreign exchange and collateral management – as well as a variety of financing solutions to asset owners, asset managers, including alternatives and broker-dealers. 


The bank is also first to market with the introduction of a fully outsourced dealing service for buy-side firms, giving them round-the-clock access to all asset classes. 


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