GAIM: Geopolitical Risk // Macroeconomic Insight // Alternative Investment

We wanted to share some exciting news with you: We have launched new online platforms for hedge funds and investors interested in participating in GAIM GMA 2011 and GAIM USA 2012, who want to be part of our community, which is aimed at networking and knowledge sharing. Additionally, we will update you on our latest research and event news.

Join us:

	Join the GAIM – GAIM GMA & GAIM USA Group on LinkedIn
	Follow us  @_GAIM on twitter
	Friend us  @_GAIM on Stock Twits

Learn more about GAIM GMA 2011 and GAIM USA 2012:

GAIM GMA 2011
The 2nd Annual GAIM GMA (Geopolitical Risk, Macro Economic Insight and Alternative Investment) Event will be held on October 11th and 12th at the Sentry Towers in New York City and will create an opportunity for hedge funds and investors to engage in an important dialogue with leading economists, strategists, policy makers and central bankers and to hear their prescriptions for navigating the risks and opportunities in the year ahead. Moreover, the GMA conference, like all GAIM events, is structured to promote business development so that hedge fund industry members can both form powerful connections and have access to current market and industry information.

Sign up for the complete agenda

RSVP & Save the date at Facebook, Linkedin, Plancast, Lanyrd

GAIM USA 2012

The of the flagship hedge fund industry conference, held each January in Boca Raton, Florida, and  renowned for delivering a program where the leading minds of the alternative investment industry share a sophisticated exchange of ideas, offer unique insights into the best investment opportunities in the year ahead and gain timely updates on important changes impacting the investment industry. The event attracts an influential audience representing key decision makers at many of the most influential investment institutions in the world. 

Sign up for the complete agenda

RSVP & Save the date at  Facebook, Linkedin, Plancast, Lanyrd.com

Investing continues, but with more caution

According to Financial Planning, more investors are turning back to hedge funds, according to JP Morgan's private bank. But the investors are paying more attention to certain things such as market volatility, liquidity and overall risk. They also care about the transparency of their investments. Read the full article here.

Investors returning to high risk investments

According to Reuters, JP Morgan Chase is seeing more investors turning to high risk investments. As investors has held back from investing in high risk opportunities over the past year, now investors are returning, as they believe that the financial crisis is, for the most part, over. Read more about new new income investment flow here.

Possible EU hedge fund regulations could cost $1.3 billion euros

According to Reuters, the EU has introduced a new legislative action called "Alternative Investment Fund Managers" directive with could impose regulations on where hedge fund can be sold along with imposing control on the leverage. This bill was adopted in order to control future financial mishaps. Should it be adopted, it will go into effect in 2012. Read the full article here.

Hedge funds continue to grow in August

According to Reuters, hedge funds continued to grow on account of the hope of economic recovery. The average hedge fund rose 1.85%, which was the sixth straight month that hedge funds continued their increase in funds after facing the steep losses late last year. Read the full article here.

London Mayor speaking out about financial regulation

According to the the Daily Telegraph, the Mayor of London, Borris Johnson, does not agree with the current possible European financial regulation of the hedge fund industry. Over 80% of the hedge funds in the world are in the UK, Johnson feels that they need to be protected from the possible regulation. Read the full article here.

HSBC opens new business for hedge funds

Reuters is reporting that HSBC has created a new business unit to target to offer hedge funds and their managers prime services. HSBC Prime Services is a partnership between Global Markets and HSBC Securities Service Units, and will focus on teh equity and fixed income platforms. For more on the new business unit, read here.

New hedgefund to start in Asia

A new Hong Kong based hedge fund will be started by Transbridge Investment Partners. They've hired John Liptak, who is the former head of Bank of America's Asia Special Strategies group to run this hedge fund. It will seek out the mispriced and undervalued securities, and focus in pan-Asia. Read the full story here.

Hedge funds strong in first half of year

According to the Wall Street Journal, hedge funds performed exceedingly well in the first half of 2009, outpacing the stock market in the first half of this year. According to the Hennessee Hedge Fund Index, performance rose 11.7%. This will likely lead to new resiliency and growth in the months to come for hedge funds. Read the full article here.

Stress tests should be peformed on hedge funds

According to an article at Reuters, hedge fund managers believe that more rigorous stress tests should be performed on hedge funds before they are invested in. These stress tests show how the hedge funds will react to extreme market conditions, they are also key to answering questions such as how your fund is making and loosing money. Read the full article here.

Asian hedge funds look for gain in second half of 2009

According to Reuters, experts are predicting that Asian hedge funds will see an increase in growth in the second half of 2009. They believe this region will recover faster than the US and Europe, in addition to the new asset allocation models adopted by US pension funds.

Aureliano Gentilini, global head of hedge fund research at Lipper, a unit of Thomson Reuters, stated, "Appetite for risk will progressively resume, with new fresh money flows poured to emerging countries as investors' confidence is restored."

Read the full article here.

Hedge fund mangers take the risky route

A new article in the New York Times looks at how some hedge fund managers have switched strategies. With the rebound of the markets starting in mid-March, investors who had invested in the risky stocks beforehand.

Even GLG Partners, the hedge fund manager based in London that was hit hard by redemptions and poor returns in 2008, has experienced a turnaround, its funds rising 11 percent for the year, in part because of its large exposure to emerging markets, which have led the global rally.

Read the full article here.

Insurance increases for hedge funds

According to a recent article at Bloomberg, the cost to insure hedge funds has risen 20% in the past six months. This is largely due to the bankruptcy of the Lehman Brothers and the Bernie Madoff scandal. Read the full article here.

Strong April for hedge funds

According to the Wall Street Journal, hedge funds are coming off their strongest month in more than three years in April 2009. The Morning Star Hedge Fund Index rose 3.4%.

Nadia Papagiannis, Morningstar hedge fund analyst,
"Over the last two months, the bulls have dominated the markets, and stories of green shoots in the economy colored the financial media. Many hedge fund managers weren't confident in the sustainability of the rally, and invested with a more conservative market exposure."

Read the full article here.

Big plans for FRM Capital Advisors

According to Bloomberg, FRM Capital Advisers will contribute $300 million in strategic investments to hedge funds. They may also be hiring six more managers to aid their investments. The company makes investments in hedge funds for two to four years then takes a share of their fees from the incomes for up to ten years. Read the full story here.

More details in the Madoff case

According to the Reuters, Bernie Madoff's personal fortune and business fortune were inseparable. Documents were released Tuesday giving more detail to the situation.

"Madoff used BLMIS to siphon funds which were, in reality, other people's money, for his personal use and the benefit of his inner circle. Plain and simple, he stole it," stated Trustee Irving Picard.

Hedge funds down in first quareter

According to a recent article at Pensions and Investments, hedge funds fell 7.4% in the first quarter to $1.3 trillion. A large part of this was due to the $1.4 billion in redemptions.

Kenneth J. Heinz, HFR president, made the comment:
“Extreme investor risk aversion subsided into the end of the first quarter, but remained at elevated historical levels as industry consolidation continued through quarter end."

Terms for assets for fund managers eased

Bloomberg reports that a deadline to buy certain securities for fund managers has been extended to April 24. This new deadline will allow more time for public-private investment funds to buy legacy securities which are currently on the balance sheet.

When the program was first detailed last month, the Treasury said that for money managers to be selected to run one of about five public-private investment funds, firms had to prove an ability to raise $500 million in private capital, have a minimum of $10 billion in mortgage backed securities under management, a proven track record in these securities and headquarters in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cayman Islands may protect hedge fund

According to Bloomberg, the Dynamic Decisions Corporate Management may be moved to the protection of an outside firm after the management was accused of gross mismanagement and misfeasance.

According to the filing, London-based Dynamic Decisions founder Alberto Micalizzi had stated that the fund had “substantial” losses last year and that assets may have fallen to as low as $20 million, excluding illiquid investments. The fund had $550 million at the end of 2008, according to a March 13 conference call the fund’s board had with investors.

Read the full report here.

Now is the time to start a hedge fund

In a recent article published by Reuters, they say that now is the time to start a hedge fund. Due to the fallout of last year, they're now employing dislocation and creative destruction to make hedge funds work. There is also abundant talent available, due to the number of employees leaving companies such as JP Morgan and Goldman. The one challenge, however, is obtaining new investors and money to start the hedge funds.

Do you agree? Is now the time to start creating and investing in hedge funds?