Assets under management of the UK fund management industry increased for the third year running in 2005 to USD 3,450 billion.

The Isle of Man Treasury has published details the comments received to its proposals on capping corporate tax liabilities.

The Joint venture between Resolution Asset Management and Hexam Capital, formed by an ex-Baring team, has launched its first fund. The Resolution Hexam Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Absolute Return Fund’s investments, which will be made in exchange-traded instruments and also in over-the-counter instruments, and may be long or short, will primarily be in equity and equity derivative products including CFDs, financial futures and exchange traded options. As the name of the fund suggests, they will relate to companies in emerging markets of Eastern Europe (including the CIS), the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The new fund is

Steven Bloom has joined the NASDAQ Stock Market as Senior Vice President of NASDAQ Financial Products.

ABN AMRO Asset Management has launched the Japan Equity Long/Short Fund, a single strategy hedge fund.

Tim Haywood & Paul McNamara believe the continuing focus on absolute returns coupled with a greater volatility of returns will work in favour of their Absolute Return Bond Fund. Tim Haywood, Chief Investment Officer, Julius Baer Investments Limited, joined the company in January 1998 from Orient Overseas International Limited in Hong Kong where he was Chief Investment Officer for four years.  Previously Tim worked for Chemical Bank together with Edward Dove.  Tim’s professional investment experience commenced in 1988. He has an MBA from the University of Cranfield.  Tim was responsible for JBIL’s absolute return strategies and runs the Julius Baer

Natexis Banques Populaires (NBP) has been accepted as a member of the London Stock Exchange, boosting NBP’s securities brokerage ambitions.