p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Investing in the real estate fund Santander Banif Inmobiliario (nearly EUR2.52bn in assets as of the end of 2010) was a bad move for most of the over 44,000 subscribers, Expansión reports, as all those who invested after 1998 have lost buying power. Santander, however, claims that excluding inflation, 70% of subscribers had earned gains as of the end of December.The net asset value of the fund is down 22% from its all-time peak in 2008.The Madrid prosecutor has declared that he considers the Banif Inmobiliario to have been “speculative” in nature, and that it was sold at “simulated” prices, which could be considered fraud. Legal action has been commenced, following a complaint from the Activa association, which accuses the management firm of fraud and price manipulation. The prosecutor claims the case should go before the National Audience.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } On 1 March, the Theta Legends XL Fund became the first Netherlands-registered fund of hedge funds to be admitted ot trading on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam platform. It is a product with daily liquidity, with a performance objective of 10% per year on a 1-5 year horizon. The portfolio is comprised of a maximum of 10 funds, each of which have a track record of at least 15 years. Characteristics Name: Theta Legends XL Fund ISIN code: NL0009692839 Management commission: 1.25% Performance commission: 5% of performance exceeding the Euribor 1-month +200 basis points
Carlyle plans to launch a USD750m fund to invest in Africa, the Financial Times wrote citing people familiar with the US private equity group. The fund would be overseen by a team of three with a presence in Johannesburg, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The CNMV on 25 February registered the British alternative management firm Winton Capital Management, and authorised its fund, Winton Global Equity Fund, a sub-fund of its UCITS-compliant Irish Sicav Winton UCITS Funds Plc, for sale in Spain, via RBC Dexia Investor Services España.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The Securities and Exchange Commission has voted (three to two) in favour of new restrictions on bonuses for brokers and investment advisors, including hedge funds, the Wall Street Journal reports. Firms which have over USD1bn in assets will be required to disclose the structure of bonuses paid to their management to the SEC each year. Bonuses which encourage inappropriate risk-taking or which may provoke financial losses will be banned. The proposal will now go to a second vote before final approval.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Hedge Week reports that the SEC has filed a lawsuit in a San Francisco district court against Lawrence R Goldfarb and his alternative management firm Baystar Capital Management LLC (BCM). The regulator accuses the manager of fraudulently misappropriating USD12m placed in side pockets and reinvesting them without the knowledge of subscribers in a real estate firm and a record company owned by Goldfarb. Goldfarb has agreed to pay USD14m to settle the charges.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The Hamburg-based asset management firm Warburg-Henderson KAG für Immobilien (EUR3.7bn in assets) is launching the Warburg-Henderson KAAG fund, dedicated to four municipal pension funds with similar profiles. The pension funds will contribute EUR200m, and the fund will invest up to EUR300m in office and commercial properties in Western Europe. The performance objective (internal rate of return) is 6.5% per year, with stable dividends.The first property is in the process of being acquired. Warburg-Henderson will make exclusive use of specialiste asset managers HIH Hamburgische Immobilien Handlung for Germany, and Henderson Global Investors for other European countries. Another KOOP mandate for German insurers is currently in preparation.To manage the first fund, Warburg-Henderson has recruited Daniel Fahrer as senior portfolio manager. Fahrer previously managed Europe funds at Axa Investment Managers, as a senior fund manager. He has previously worked at RREEF and Citigroup.
The 2010 balance sheets for subscriptions/redemptions and asset volumes established by the Kommalpha agency finds that the vast majority of German open-ended funds played only a cameo role in the big picture last year. Most segments are dominated by a small number of large products, which attracted most of the inflows. For example, about 50% of total assets in equities funds went to less than 5% of the major funds. For bonds and diversified funds, the situation is not much different: in these areas, about 15% of funds account for half of assets under management.Meanwhile, three quarters of the smallest equities funds manage only 10% of total assets. For bonds and diversified funds, about 60% of products share only one tenth of total assets. The best sales last year were for Pinco (EUR17.5bn) and ETFs from db x-trackers (Deutsche Bank), with EUR5.4bn. However, Deka and Union Investment saw net outflows of EUR6.4bn and EUR2.8bn, respectively (see Newsmanagers of 11 February 2011). Kommalpha also reports that, among the few dozen funds which “made” the market in 2010, there were a growing number of ETFs. Although in absolute terms, these represent a small group compared to actively-managed funds, they saw net subscriptions of about EUR8.6bn last year, while actively-managed funds attracted only EUR10.7bn.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Das Investment reports that Union Investment Real Estate (UIRE) has lowered the price per share for the open-ended real estate fund UniImmo: Global (DE0009805556) by EUR2.40, or 4.45%, to EUR51.51, due to depreciations for three properties which the fund acquired in Tokyo in 2008, before the fall of the Japanese market.Assets in the fund total over EUR2.3bn.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } According to Citywire, Nordea is preparing to launch six new funds focused on high yield, debt and emerging markets equities in the next few months. In bonds, the Scandinavian firm will team up with the US management firm MacKay Shields to launch a US short-duration high yield bond fund.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } DB Advisors, which includes the international institutional management activities of the Deutsche Bank group, has merged the Henderson Liquid Assets Fund into its range of money market funds, Fundstrategy reports. Assets in the UCITS III fund total about GBP2.8bn. DB Advisors, whose money market assets total about EUR94bn, was already working with the fund as a sub-advisor.
The first ETF for corporate bank loans begins to trade on Thursday, the Financial Times said. Invesco PowerShares Capital Management will manage the ETF, which will be based on the S&P/LSTA US Leveraged Loan 100 Index.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }a:link { } The Austrian consulting firm software-systems.at, which already calculates 150 indices of funds which are used as benchmarks for peer groups of categories, sectors, regions and themes, is planning to launch six sustainable development indices in mid-May, which will take into account the ethical and dynamic rating (EDA) of funds. Details can be found at http://www.software-systems.at/eda/docs/EDA_Beschreibung.pdf.The six IX EDA indices are the 50 Aktien SK75 Europa, 25 Aktien SK75 Deutschland (Germany), 25 Aktien SK75 Österreich (Austria), 25 Aktien SK75 Schweiz (Switzerland), 25 Aktien SK75 Emerging Markets and 50 Aktien SK75 Global. The numbers 25 and 50 refer to the number of appropriate funds selected for each country or region. The abbreviation SK75 indicates that at least 75% of standard criteria must be respected.Richard Lernbass, CEO of software-systems.at, says the indices must allow investors to determine the genuine “sustainable development” content of funds on an ongoing basis, without having to rely on marketing materials from fund issuers.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Nomura Asset Management has signed the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI). Among other recent signatories of the principles are AllianzGI Investments Europe, Santander Empelados Pensiones and Allegro Private Equity. Assets under management at Nomura Asset Management total about EUR212bn.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The German management firm HSBC Trinkhaus has posted the highest pre-tax profits in its 225-year history for 2010, totalling EUR210m, up from EUR163.7m in 2009, an increase of 28.3%. Net profits increased 27.7%, to total EUR139.4m. The cost/income ratio improved to 66.9% from 68.3%. As of 31 December, assets under management and administration totalled EUR115.3bn, compared with EUR99.1bn. Pre-tax profits for the institutional segment (investment banking, equities investments) were up 7.7%, to EUR72.3m, while the high net worth private client segment was up 2.1%, to EUR29.7m, due to an increase in revenues from asset management and securities transactions.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } On Wednesday, the trial of Helmut Kiener, the “German Madoff,” began in Wurzburg, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports. Kiener, who has been in preventive custody since October 2009, is accused of orchestrating a Ponzi pyramid scheme which allowed him to defraud 5,000 retail investors and two banks of EUR345m.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } In 2010, retirement liabilities on the books of the 16 publicly-traded US companies with liabilities of over USD20bn, known as the “$20 billion club,” increased to USD740bn, from USD700bn the previous year, according to a study by Russell Investments.Meanwhile, the value of assets owned by these businesses increased yo USD619bn, from USD578bn.Bob Collie, chief research strategist at Russell, points out that the $20 billion club accounts for nearly 40% of total pensions for US publicly-traded businesses. Their coverage deficit of about USD121bn is likely to trigger substantial increases in contribution charges, in order to catch up in the next few years, due to increased requirements in the Pension Protection Act of 2006.The study finds that these businesses contributed USD21bn last year, as in 2009, which is more than double the total paid into pensions in 2008.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Skandia Investment Group (SIG) has announced that its Spectrum range, managed with volatility objectives, is now available on the FundZone, Wrap, International Bond and SIPP platforms. The range, launched in 2008, had total assets as of 31 January 2011 of GBP843m.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Two former fund managers from Fidelity Investments and then Thames River Capital who joined JO Hambro Capital Management (JOHCM) in January as senior fund manager and fund manager, respectively Trygve Toraasen and Carlos Mureno, have been assigned to manage the new JOHCM All Europe Dynamic Growth Fund, launched on 28 February. The capacity of the new sub-fund of the Irish Sicav is limited to GBP2bn.Minimal subscription is set at GBP1,000 for retail and GBP125,000 for institutional investors.The two managers will apply the qualitative stock-picking methodology which brought them success at Fidelity and then at Thames River. The strategy is to invest in undervalued businesses using both growth and value strategies, but with a growth bias. The portfolio will be concentrated, with 40 to 50 positions in all cap sizes. The investment universe is all of Europe, including Eastern Europe. Initially, about 80% of the positions in the portfolio will be the same as those of the Thames River European Dynamic Growth Fund.CharacteristicsName: JOHCM All Europe Dynamic Growth FundBenchmark index: MSCI Europe (net dividends reinvested)ISIN codes:Retail GBP IE00B41H8D62 Retail EUR IE00B4R51P79Institutional GBP IE00B3ZL4730Institutional EUR IE00B4KJFH62Front-end fee: 5% maximumManagement commission: 1.50% (retail shares)0.75% (institutional shares)Performance commission: 15% of performance exceeding the index
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Gioacchino Puglia has recently been named first vice-president of institutional business development at Banque Piguet. His previous employer was Lombard Odier, where he was most recently senior vice-president of institutional client relationship management.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Mubashir Mukadam, who was managing director of the multi-strategy hedge fund York Capital Management (USD14bn), has been appointed as European head of special situations for KKR Asset Management LLC (KAM), the asset management platform from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), which manages USD14.8bn. He will report to Nat Zilkha and Jamie Weinstein, co-heads of special situations.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Putnam has announced the arrival of three people to direct its bond management team, which was previously overseen by Rob Bloemker, who has decided to leave the firm. The three specialists are D. William Kohli, Michael V. Salm, and Paul D. Scanlon, former heads of portfolio construction and global strategies, liquid markets, and US high yield.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The asset management firm Arca SGR, an affiliate of 12 Italian cooperative banks, is launching three bond funds: Arca Cedola Bond Globale Euro III, Arca Cedola Bond Paesi Emergenti, and Arca Bond Paesi Emergenti Valuta Locale. The first two are funds with quarterly distribution, the first of which is invested primarily in Euro zone government bonds, as well as in investment grade corporate bonds denominated in euros, while the second is invested in emerging markets government and corporate bonds. The third fund is an international bond product oriented to government bonds from emerging markets and countries that are net exporters of commodities.
Aviva Investors has appointed Dan James as head of global aggregate portfolio management. In this role, Dan will be responsible for implementing strategies and asset allocation across all global aggregate portfolios. He will also be responsible for promoting Aviva Investors global aggregate products and developing high-margin absolute return solutionsStarting on 1 March, Dan James will be based in Aviva Investors London office and will report to Shahid Ikram, deputy CIO of fixed income. Dan James will be joining Aviva Investors from Fischer Francis Trees and Watts where he was most recently head of short duration and absolute return. Prior to this, he was CIO aggregate and absolute return at Fortis Investments.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Following its acquisition of the Asian fund and asset management activities of AIG Global Real Estate Investment, Invesco has announced that it will distribute stakes in the firm (totalling 50,664 shares) to 10 new employees.
Aberdeen Asset Management has been appointed to manage a Danish-owned property portfolio in Sweden to a value of EUR300 million on behalf of Provinsfastigheter AB. Provinsfastigheter was previously part of the now restructured Allokton group, the current majority owner is a consortium of several Danish financial institutions. The portfolio is dispersed across Sweden, however with most of the properties in and around Stockholm and with an equal share of offices and residential properties. A significant proportion of the properties will require active management to reach their full potential. Consequently, in addition to the mandate to manage and optimise the total property portfolio, Aberdeen will also manage the financial administration reporting directly to the board of directors, until the portfolio is ready to be sold.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Andrew Thatcher, who previously worked in Europe for GLG Partners, has moved to Asia, and will be based in Hong Kong, where he will develop the alternative management firm’s Asian activities, Asian Investor reports. As executive director, Thatcher will report directly to Tim Rainsford, managing director of Man Investments in Asia, and will be in charge of relations with high net worth and institutional investors, as well as family offices and fund of hedge fund managers.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The range of thematic equities products from Swiss & Global Asset Management, the exclusive provider of Julius Baer funds, has now gained the addition of the JB Health Opportunities Fund. The fund, a sub-fund of a UCITS-compliant Luxembourg Sicav, invests in 35-45 positions worldwide on publicly-traded companies active in all areas of the health care sector, including in emerging markets (up to 30%). The two co-managers of the fund, which was launched on 30 September 2010, are Nathalie Flury and Christophe Eggmann.CharacteristicsName: Julius Baer Multistock Health Opportunities FundISIN code: LU0529502287Management commission: Maximum 1.60%Benchmark index: MSCI World Healthcare
Skandia Investment Group (SIG) annonce que sa gamme Spectrum, gérée en fonction d’objectifs de volatilité, est désormais accessible sur les plate-formes FundZone, Wrap, International Bond et SIPP. Lancée en 2008, la gamme affiche au 31 janvier 2011 un encours total de 843 millions de livres.
Deux anciens de Fidelity Investments, puis de Thames River Capital, Trygve Toraasen et Carlos Moreno, qui ont rejoint Jo Hambro Capital Management (JOHCM) en tant, respectivement, que gérant de fonds senior et gérant de fonds, ont été chargés du nouveau fonds JOHCM All Europe Dynamic Growth Fund lancé le 28 février. La capacité de ce nouveau compartiment de la sicav irlandaise est plafonnée à 2 milliards de livres. La sousscription minimale est fixée à 1.000 livres pour le retail et 125.000 livres pour les investisseurs institutionnels.Les deux gérants appliqueront la méthodologie de sélection qualitative de valeurs qui a fait leur succès chez Fidelity puis chez Thames River. Elle consiste à investir dans des entreprises sous-évaluées en utilisant des stratégies à la fois croissance et rendement, mais avec un biais croissance. Le portefeuille sera concentré, avec 40 à 50 lignes de toutes tailles de capitalisation. L’univers d’investissement est l’Europe entière, y compris l’Europe de l’Est. Initialement environ 80 % des actions en portefeuille seront celles qui étaient détenues dans le Thames River European Dynamic Growth Fund.CaractéristiquesDénomination : JOHCM All Europe Dynamic Growth FundIndice de référence : MSCI Europe (net dividends reinvested)Codes Isin :Retail GBP IE00B41H8D62Retail EUR IE00B4R51P79Institutional GBP IE00B3ZL4730Institutional EUR IE00B4KJFH62Droit d’entrée : 5 % maximumCommission de gestion : 1,50 % (parts retail)0,75 % (parts institutionnelles)Commission de performance : 15 % de la surperformance par rapport à l’indice