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11/05/2011

Abu Dhabi Investment House invests in Middle East Best Select

The Abu Dhabi sovereign fund, Abu Dhabi Investment House (ADIH, USD1.5bn in assets) has bought a 50% stake in the management firm Middle East Best Select, based in Bremen, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports.Initially, the German investment firm will raise USD50m for a cancer treatment centre in Abu Dhabi. Other funds totalling USD1bn are planned by the end of the year, to invest in real estate and realty projects, as well as in the healthcare sector in the Gulf region. The firm also plans to acquire minority stakes in German firms, involving German technologies in the healthcare, renewable energies and agricultural sectors, in order to help countries in the Gulf region to prepare for the “post-oil” era.
11/05/2011

Lombard Odier to take on a new managing partner

The Geneva private bank Lombard Odier on 1 January next year will welcome an eighth managing partner. Arthur Caye, 41, was born in Paris, and is now a partner at the management firm Capital Group in Geneva, where he was responsible for financial and investment research, more specifically in the areas of finance and nutrition.
11/05/2011

Hedge funds perform less well than the markets in April

The Hennessee hedge fund index gained 1.3% in April, while the S&P 500 index gained 2.9%. In the first four months of the year, the index has gained 3.8%, compared with 8.4% for the S&P 500.The Lyxor index also rose, with gains of 1.37% in April, and 2.14% since the beginning of the year.The HFRI Fund Weighted Composite index, meanwhile, gained 1.86% in April, with positive contributions from all strategies. Macro strategies were the best performers, with gains of 3.36%.
11/05/2011

Santander redeploys underlying funds for its Superselección FoF

Four funds out of eight will be maintained until next year in the portfolio of the guaranteed fund of funds Santander Superselección (EUR320m), when its annual mandates are renewed. The changes will come into effect on 13 May, and the next revision will take place in March 2012. The funds retained are The Alger American Asset Growth fund, with a weighting of 1.8% (compared with 4.5% until 13 May 2011), the Allianz RCM US Equit, at 18.8% (compared with 20.5%), the BGF Euro Bond Fund from BlackRock, at 29.4% (compared with 27.1%), and the BL Global Bond Cap from Banque du Luxembourg, at 5.8%, compared with 4.42% (see Newsmanagers of 10 May 2010).The new funds added to the portfolio are the Jupiter European Growth, at 11.2%, the Franklin European Growth, with 13.8%, the BNP Paribas Opportunities USA, with 4.4%, and the Schroders ISF Euro Bond, with 14.6%.Management commissions for the fund, which were raised last year to 1.66% from 1.61% in 2009, will be reduced this year to 1.5%.
11/05/2011

Swedish investors return to equity funds

After two months of net outflows, savings in equity funds sold in Sweden showed positive inflows again in April, a total of SEK 9.3 billion (about EUR1bn), according to the most recent statistics from the Swedish investment fund association Fondbolagens Förening. A good part of inflows went to funds investing in Swedish equities, which took on slightly over SEK3bn (EUR335m). Balanced funds recorded net inflows of SEK 4.2 billion (EUR469m). Bond and money market funds, however, both recorded net withdrawals during the month of SEK900m and SEK5.7bn, respectively (EUR100m and EUR637m). Overall, in April, Swedish funds posted net subscriptions of SEK7bn (EUR782m). So far in 2011, total net sales of fund amounted to SEK 14.6 billion (EUR1.6bn). As of the end of April, the Swedish fund industry had assets of SEK1.968trn (EUR220bn), of which SEK1.178trn (EUR132bn) were managed in equities funds.
11/05/2011

State Street creates a position for a head of fixed income product sales for the EMEA region

State Street on 10 May announced the appointment of Craig Butterworth to the newly-created position of head of fixed income product sales for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.Butterworth will be head of the sales team at State Street Global Markets dedicated to fixed income products, and will aim to develop fixed income activities serving existing clients and new clients. He will be based in London, and will report to Jon Thoresen, head of interest-bearing assets for fixed income products for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Peter Turk, global head of fixed income product sales.State Street Global Markets in 2010 launched its interest-bearing asset activities for fixed income products in response to demand from the market and to opportunities to integrate and diversify brokerage strategies. The operation, which provides interest transactions for fixed income products and sales coverage of institutional clients, now has over 60 professionals on the ground, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States.Butterworth was previously at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), where he spent seven years, most recently as CEO in charge of sales of interest rate flows for British funds and hedge funds.
11/05/2011

Madoff: Italian victims join forces

Italian victims of the Bernard Madoff fraud have decided to join forces to file suit against Zolfo Cooper, the British trustee for the feeder fund Kingate Euro, in an effort to get their money back or participate in a distribution of USD9bn that has already been recovered in the United States, Il Sole – 24 Ore reports. Kingate Euro had assets of USD800m, of which USD500m came from Italian investors (institutionals, funds of funds, and private clients). The managers of the fund were two Italians, Carlo Grosso and Federico Ceretto.
11/05/2011

Royal London AM launches an ethical fund

Investment Week reports that Royal London Asset Management has launched a UK ethical fund, which will be managed by Bradley Mitchell. The UCITS III-compliant fund will invest in a concentrated portfolio of 40 to 60 positions, and will aim for annual returns 2% to 3% higher than the FTSE All-Share index. Front-end fees are 4%, and management commissions are set at 1.4% per year for a minimum investment of GBP1,000.
11/05/2011

G2AM soon to launch its first fund

FundWeb reports that Generation Asset Management (G2AM), the management firm founded about a year ago by the Geneva-based bank Generation Groupe and the Canadian firm Arrow Capital Management, is awaiting regulatory approval to launch its first fund. The new vehicle will be a UCITS-compliant fund, which will be based in Luxembourg and dedicated to emerging markets.
11/05/2011

US hedge fund launches a CTA strategy in Europe

The Florida-based hedge fund Dunn Capital Management, a CTA fund with assets under management of about USD1bn, is planning to launch a UCITS III-compliant version of its flagship fund World Monetary and Agriculture (WMA), Citywire reports. The fund may be launched as soon as 1 July. Since its launch in 1984, the WMA fund has earned annualised returns of 14.61%.
11/05/2011

US management firm to launch a UCITS III-compliant fund

Citywire reports that DUNN Capital Management, a hedge fund firm based in Florida, with USD1bn in assets under management, will launch a UCITS III-compliant version of its global money market and agriculture fund. The WMA UCITS Fund will be based on the MontLake UCITS platform from ML Capital.
11/05/2011

Robeco releases Emerging Conservative Equities fund

Since 12 April, German investors may subscribe to shares in the new Luxembourg-registered, UCITS-compliant fund Robeco Emerging Conservative Equities, which Robeco Germany released for active sales on 10 May. Assets now total EUR21m.The fund of emerging markets equities has no benchmark index, and volatility of less than 30% on average, while retaining potential for outperformance. Investments are based on the “low value anomaly” theory developed by Pim van Vliet, who oversees risk management for the fund, and David Blitz; the theory demonstrated that a lower level of risk does not necessarily result in a reduction in performance. The manager in charge of stock-picking is Arlette van Ditshuizen.The fund is configured in such a way that it may be expected to outperform in falling, stagnant and slightly positive markets. However, in rapidly rising markets, the conservative equity method will tend to underperform, as it would have done in 1997 and 1999. The methodology has been in use since 2006 for the Robeco Global Conservative Equities fund, and since 2007 for the Robeco European Conservative Equity fund. Backtesting shows that the strategy would have nearly completely avoided losses in 2000 and 2002; in 2008, losses would have been considerably reduced.Robeco manages emerging markets funds totalling about EUR17bn (as of the end of April).CharacteristicsName: Robeco Emerging Conservative EquitiesISIN code: LU0582533245 (D share class)Front-end fee: 5% maximumManagement commission: 1.25%Service commission: 0.12%
11/05/2011

Union Investment rationalises product range

As a part of a regular update of its product range, Union Investment on 31 May announced that its fund suite will be marginally redeployed. The UniConClusio: European Equities A fund, which is a share class in an institutional fund, with assets of only EUR12m, will be liquidated. Institutional shares will continue to exist, while retail investors may instead opt for the UnionGeldmarktFonds (EUR768m).The UniDoubleChance (EUR3m) fund will be absorbed into the UniValueFonds: Global A, with EUR354m, while the UniEuroFlex (EUR142m) will join the UniMoneyMarket: Euro (EUR1.39bn), and the UniEuroRenta Corporates T fund (EUR64m) will be merged into the UniEuroRenta Corporates A (EUR187m).
11/05/2011

Two financial advisers specialists join Convictions AM

Convictions Asset management has hired Stéphane Petit and Emmanuel d’Ythurbide, two specialists in relations with French independent financial advisers, who previously worked for the 30% stakeholder in the firm, UFG-LFP. With the two men, who have been working together for over 10 years, the French boutique, which has over EUR1bn in assets under management, is creating a team dedicated to relationships with financial advisers, a market segment in which it is hoping to grow strongly. Petit, who has been appointed head of partnership relationships, was preivously head of IFA clients and partners at La Française des Placements. In 2009, he became head of IFA development in the western France region for UFG-LFP. D’Ythurbide, who will take charge of partnership relationships, previously led IFA activities at La Française des Placements (2000-2009). In 2009, he became head of IFA development for the south-western France region for UFG-LFP.
11/05/2011

Azimut acquires 50% of Compagnie de Gestion Privée Monégasque

The Italian asset manager Azimut, through its Luxembourg subsidiary AZ International Holdings sa, reached an agreement for the acquisition of a 50% stake in CGM (Compagnie de Gestion privée Monegasque sam), an independent asset management company which, also with its Italian subsidiary, holds total assets for around EUR800 million. According to the signed binding contract, Azimut will buy a total 50% stake, of which 30% from CGM’s current management (who will keep the remaining total 50%) as well as an additional 20% previously held by BSI Monaco. The consideration paid is around EUR15 million and it will be entirely constituted by treasury shares; the exact amount of these will be according the share price of Azimut Holding at the closing date, which will be after obtaining the regulatory approval. The entrance in the shareholding is the first step of a broader cooperation and partnership between CGM, (headquartered in the Principality of Monaco and characterised by services targeting UHNWI) and the Azimut Group, also in the perspective of its international expansion.
11/05/2011

BlackRock appoints a director of IFA sales and IFA networks

The US management firm BlackRock has announced the creation of a position in the United Kingdom for a head of nationals & networks. The position will be occupied by Sanjay Gobil, who was most recently in charge of relationship development for IFAs and IFA networks at Friends Provident. Gohil will report to Mark Elliott, head of UK retail sales.
11/05/2011

Threadneedle names a manager for its Global Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Threadneedle has named Irina Miklavchich as fund manager of the GBP130m Threadneedle Global Emerging Markets Equity Fund from 1 May 2011, following her appointment to the company in February this year. The fund has been co-managed by Vanessa Donegan, head of Asia (ex Japan) and Global Emerging Markets Equities, and Rafael Polatinsky, fund manager, since September 2010. They will continue to support Irina Miklavchich with idea generation for the asset class through Threadneedle’s integrated team approach. Irina Miklavchich joined Threadneedle earlier this year from Goldman Sachs where she worked for eight years within the Global Emerging Markets and Principal Strategies groups. She will be taking responsibility for other Emerging Markets portfolios at a later stage.
11/05/2011

Omgeo launches a forum for hedge funds

The post-market solution provider Omgeo on 9 May announced the launch of a trading forum, the Hedge Fund Operations Forum (HOF), dedicated to the best operational practices for hedge funds based in the United Kingdom.Among the founding members of the forum are BlueBay Asset Management, Cairn Capital, Cheyne Capital, CQS, Marshall Wace, and RAB Capital.
11/05/2011

Saverglass change de mains

NiXEN Partners (plus de 60% du capital) et Crédit Agricole Private Equity (20% du capital) ont annoncé leur désengagement du fabricant de bouteilles, carafes et flacons en verre au profit d’Astorg Partners. La société, leader sur le créneau du haut de gamme, a réalisé un chiffre d’affaires de 280 millions d’euros en 2010. L’opération devrait être finalisée d’ici fin juin.
11/05/2011

L’inflation chinoise se maintient

Le rythme de croissance des prix à la consommation a marginalement ralenti en avril à 5,3%, contre 5,4% en mars et 5,2% anticipé par le consensus Bloomberg. Dans le même temps, les prix à la production progressent à un rythme annuel de 6,8%. Le gouvernement espère que les mesures de resserrement monétaire mises en place permettront de ramener l’inflation à 4% sur l’année.
11/05/2011

Les députés adoptent une « règle d'or » budgétaire

Par 321 voix contre 229, les députés français ont adopté hier le projet de loi constitutionnelle qui vise à inscrire le retour à l'équilibre des comptes publics dans la Constitution, à l’instar de ce qui existe en Allemagne. Les groupes UMP et du Nouveau centre ont voté pour ce projet de loi qui sera examiné le 14 juin par le Sénat. L’opposition de gauche a voté contre, ce qui compromet l’avenir de cette réforme voulue par Nicolas Sarkozy. Tout texte modifiant la Constitution doit en effet être adopté dans les mêmes termes par l’Assemblée et le Sénat puis soumis à référendum - ce qui est peu probable - ou au vote du Parlement réuni en Congrès à Versailles. Or, au Congrès, le projet de loi devra recueillir une majorité des trois cinquièmes des suffrages exprimés, ce qui obligera la majorité à obtenir le soutien de plusieurs voix de l’opposition. Une manœuvre, qui avait fonctionné - à une voix près - en juillet 2008.
11/05/2011

La Chine ouvre son marché

A l’occasion des discussions avec les Etats-Unis, la Chine a fait voeu de permettre un accès plus libre de son marché aux contrats intergouvernementaux ainsi qu’aux fonds de gestion collective américains. «Nous entrevoyons des évolutions très prometteuses de la part de la politique économique chinoise» s’est félicité le secrétaire américain au Trésor Timothy Geithner.
11/05/2011

Les plans grec et portugais fragilisés

La pression s’accroît en faveur d’une mise à contribution des investisseurs privés aux plans de sauvetage grec, sur la base du volontariat, et même portugais. Le sujet pourrait être abordé lors de la réunion des ministres des Finances européens lundi et mardi prochain à Bruxelles.
11/05/2011

BlueGold perd 500 millions de dollars dans la tourmente

Le fonds alternatif londonien BlueGold Capital Management aurait selon le quotidien perdu environ 20% de ses actifs ce mois-ci du fait de la décrue des prix pétroliers. Son patron de la gestion Pierre Andurand a confié au quotidien qu’il conservait un sentiment très positif envers l’or noir, misant sur un prix à 180 dollars au cours des prochaines années.

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