Fompounding growth of the fast-surging frontier market-investment vehicles for investors interested in ‘pre-emerging markets...more...

Korea Development Bank (KDB) state-invested bank has announced intentions to form a consortium with domestic private banks for the...more...

United Kingdom-based Cadis Software enterprise data management (EDM) systems have opened its first New York City office location...more...

Omgeo post-trade efficiency solutions have detected remarkable momentum within its hedge fund operations arena...more...

Following what appears may be an end to the steady, 6-year decline in the dollar, consumers and investors alike have found themselves asking if the bill has finally reached its turning point...more...

Likely to soon be coming to an end are the days of China’s booming export industry...more...

The board of directors for Point Blank body armor Solutions (PBSI) has kept its shareholders out of the loop for far too long, say representatives of Steel Partners II...more...

The Bank of Beijing has deployed IPC System's voice-over IP-enabled (VoIP) “IQ/MAX” desktop tool...more...

Providing an aggregated volume of quotes and orders available at each of the top five price levels for International Securities Exchange (ISE) trade...more...

Upgrading its “Alliance MX 15.2” multi-media platform, IPC indispensable communications has made available its “MAXaccess 1000TM” trader mobility and business continuity tool...more...

Credit Suisse “Advanced Execution Services” (AES) is officially the first foreign broker to conduct equity trading for an external client through Indonesia's Jakarta Stock Exchange using the Direct Market Access (DMA) on its platform...more...

This year marks the 56th anniversary of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). The seminal work of Dr. Harry Markowitz on efficient portfolio construction was first published in 1952...more...

Emerging Managers, defined as those hedge funds with less than 36 Months of history and less than $300m in AUM, are continuing to deliver on their promise of generating returns 300 – 400bp per annum over and above the returns of older, more established hedge funds...more...

Due diligence can be distilled down to two crucial questions: Do we like the strategy that this manager employs? Does this manager execute the strategy well...more...

As the world of investing becomes increasingly hedge fund-centric, the rise of 130/30 funds will continue...more...

A looming shadow has cast itself over the U.S. housing market for the past two years and market turmoil has disseminated throughout the world as the US teeters on the brink of recession...more...

Lately the stock market has been making a lot of people nervous. Don't panic, warns investing guru Chris Mayer...more...

Developed Asian markets are lagging international best practice in executive-compensation disclosure, and this lack of transparency...more...

Many U.S. pension plan sponsors believe they are well positioned to weather the current volatility in global markets thanks in large part to a new model of portfolio management...more...

To the people who entrust them with their money, investment managers are much like employees—employees who are paid very well for the prospect of growing the investor's hard-earned savings...more...

In the midst of the energy conservation era and an ever increasing need to do good, companies around the world are modifying their business practices to satisfy corporate governance regulations and social responsibilities...more...

Prior to the recent downturn, the last five years had coincided with an impressive rise in the stock markets within the region, with the MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Asia Index increasing by more than fivefold from March 2003 to its peak in October 2007...more...

The economy of Great Britain has been slowing rapidly in the past several months, due in part to high food and gas prices. The nation's economy was also hit hard by the housing crisis, forcing banks to cut back on mortgage loans...more...

Late last month, the New York City Council began looking into a revision of the unincorporated business tax, paving the way toward requiring hedge fund and private equity fund partners to pay a city tax...more...

Natural resource investing has been a lucrative area for investments over the past decade and it appears as though this trend will continue through the future...more...

Infrastructure investing provides a unique window on the world’s economic and social development initiatives vis-à-vis capital flows to various infrastructure sub-sectors: Telecoms, Power, Oil & Gas, Rail, Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, Water, Ports, Airports...more...

While China’s manufacturing sector booms and people sock away money in savings accounts, the country's financial markets remain in their infancy, according to international finance experts who gathered at the recent 2008 Wharton China Business Conference...more...

Earlier this week, CalPERS pulled more than $7 billion from its external domestic and international equity and fixed-income managers as the $248.2 billion system moved more assets to internal management...more...

The $330-billion auction-rate securities market will “cease to exist” after it collapsed in February because Wall Street firms stopped using their own capital to buy bonds when demand fell short, a Citigroup Inc. analyst said...more...

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Paul Atkins announced earlier this week that he will be leaving the agency after his term expires on June 5...more...

This week, Part 2 looks at another recent dispute, and offers practical lessons for buyers and targets...more...

The Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois (TRS) has asked the Cook County Circuit Court to dismiss a lawsuit that challenges how the state funds the pensions of downstate and Chicago public school teachers...more...

In today's market, the period between signing a purchase agreement and closing is one of uncertainty. For many deals that were signed in 2007, this period has coincided with a further tightening of the U.S. credit markets...more...

Industry leading publications and investment executives are paying increasing attention to resurgence in a strategic growth technique being deployed within the asset management industry. That growth—or “M&A-lite”—technique is the asset management liftout...more...

Hedge funds and investment firms demand technologies and processes that improve operational efficiency, boost business performance and maximize investments...more...

A new study by Greenwich Associates shows that the Credit Crisis represents a historic opportunity for small, regional and foreign banks...more...

Growth is projected at 17% per year with fund of funds leading the charge in the U.S. markets due to the popularity of target date funds...more...

U.S. companies are reducing risk levels in their cash investment portfolios and cutting return targets on short-term investments, according to the results of new research from Greenwich Associates...more...

If you assume there’s nothing you can do about such all-too-human flaws and foibles, think again. You can legislate good behavior—and what’s more, the vast majority of employees will be glad you did...more...

Many U.S. pension plan sponsors believe they are well positioned to weather the current volatility in global markets thanks in large part to a new model of portfolio management designed to generate the investment returns needed to fund future pension liabilities while minimizing risk levels within their portfolios...more...

The $154.5 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund completed 17 new investment transactions totaling more than $239 million in cash and commitments during February, according to a monthly transaction...more...

Seventy percent of the large institutional investors participating in a new study by Greenwich Associates think turmoil in international credit markets will push the United States into recession in 2008 and almost 60% think the still-unfolding crisis will result in a global economic downturn...more...

The follow is a brief summary of events news and updated from New England Pension Consultants, a major institutional investor consultant based in Cambridge, Massachusetts...more...

Anticipation of a US downturn has led to sell-offs across Asian markets, but Korea’s new pro-business Government has plenty of tools at its disposal to stimulate the economy...more...

Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced component changes in the Dow Jones Global Titans 50 Index and Dow Jones Personal & Household Goods Titans 30 Index...more...

STANLIB, the $45 billion Johannesburg based asset management operation of the Standard Bank of South Africa, today announced it has attracted over $250m into the Standard Africa Equity Fund since the launch on 15 August 2007...more...

Pivot Inc., a real-time enterprise collaboration network serving the capital markets, today announced it has secured $3 million in financing from MMV Financial, Inc. Pivot will use the funds to maintain its steady growth rate while continuing to develop core business operations, Pivot 360° and partner integration...more...

Demands by U.S. companies for more transparency, lower prices and better service quality is causing important changes in the business insurance industry — and to the client lists of individual brokers...more...

A new research report from Preqin Hedge announces that Emerging Managers are the top choice for sophisticated investors looking for larger returns...more...

Freed from past regulatory constraints on foreign investments and driven by a desire for diversification and higher returns, Canadian pension plans, endowments and foundations are adding international assets to their investment portfolios at a rapid rate...more...

Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today this week the results of the regular quarterly review of the Dow Jones Global Exchanges Index...more...

Senior financial supervisors from five countries last week issued a report that assesses a range of risk management practices among a sample of major global financial services organizations...more...

The SEC released its previously announced proposed rule allowing the issuance of exchange-traded funds without obtaining exemptive relief. The Rule’s conditions generally follow those required in the exemptive applications previously approved...more...

The conference will take aim at the major issues currently facing pension plans in Florida, namely restrictions limiting investment opportunities, but will also feature a charity boxing event...more...

The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) announced earlier last month its selection of four investment management firms to construct, manage and monitor a fund of funds for its $1.8 billion U.S...more...

Fidelity Investments was fined, censured, and ordered to retain an independent consultant in connection with directing mutual fund trades to brokers that provided lavish gifts to those responsible for placing fund trades...more...

All the bad news about Wall Street and other economic issues does more than make us depressed—it makes us stop spending. Learn how our mob mentality could drive us toward a recession faster than the slumping economy...more...

Developed Asian markets are lagging international best practice in executive-compensation disclosure, and this lack of transparency in how executives of listed companies in the region are remunerated is putting investors at risk...more...

The rest of the financial world may have been preoccupied with the global credit crisis throughout the summer and fall of 2007, but equity markets throughout Asia were in the middle of an unprecedented boom and projections for the next 12 months were optimistic...more...

In a recent enforcement action, the Chief Compliance Officer of broker-dealer Trautman Wasserman, was sanctioned for aiding and abetting his firm’s mutual fund market timing activities...more...

If you’ve had a rough couple of months in the market and need to make every penny count this tax season, personal finance expert Eric Tyson has three words for you: Health Savings Accounts...more...

Over the past five years, as iContact and Virante have grown, I've learned a lot about managing people. A business amounts to little without the people behind it. The two most important things I look for when hiring are initiative and work ethic. I cannot overestimate the importance to the eventual success of your business of bringing on good people. But once you have hired these good people, how do you manage them...more...

In his recent speech at PLI’s “SEC Speaks in 2008” conference, SEC Chairman Christopher Cox laid out an ambitious regulatory agenda that included many initiatives affecting the investment management industry. He anticipates action with respect to Rule 12b-1, summary prospectuses, adviser/broker-dealer regulation, hedge fund activities, and CDOs...more...

Lately the stock market has been making a lot of people nervous. Don't panic, warns investing guru Chris Mayer. Instead, invest in companies that prosper from distress, and you can actually make money from the down market...more...

More than half of Japanese equity trading volume will be executed as either electronic trades or portfolio trades by 2010, according to projections made by institutional investors in Japan and throughout Asia in a new study by Greenwich Associates...more...

The SEC has requested comment (by February 26) on an exemptive application request for actively-managed exchange traded funds. The application was filed by PowerShares Capital Management, which is owned by Invesco. Other similar applications have also been filed recently by Bear Stearns, Barclays and WisdomTree. The funds will include both equity and fixed income portfolios...more...

Big news stories about the hedge fund industry in 2007 crept onto the front pages of financial magazines and daily newspapers. The world became suddenly aware of hedge funds, and not always in a positive way...more...

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. and the New York City Pension Funds announced on Friday, January 25, 2008 the expansion of the consolidated class action lawsuit filed against Countrywide Financial Corporation and other defendants...more...

Today’s decision by the Federal Reserve to cut the interest rate by 50 basis points to 3 percent together with the unscheduled cut last week confirms our view that the Fed is completely committed to aggressively inflating the US out of its current problems...more...

The SEC censured and fined Heartland Advisors, a mutual fund manager, over $3.5 Million for over-valuing municipal bonds held in its High Yield Municipal Bond Fund and Short Duration High-Yield Municipal Fund...more...

Hedge funds and investment firms demand technologies and processes that improve operational efficiency, boost business performance and maximize investments...more...

Coincidentally, a previously scheduled Dow Jones media event occurred on Tuesday January 22^nd amidst a flurry of market activity. The previous night, a major selloff occurred in the Asian markets, which proceeded throughout the global markets and culminated with a massive selloff in the U.S...more...

New research reveals that European fixed-income markets were undergoing a transformation in the run-up to the global credit crunch...more...

An investment advisory firm was sanctioned and its principal was barred from the industry for inflating the firm’s assets under management and performance data to database services used by consultants...more...

As the world of investing becomes increasingly hedge fund-centric, the rise of 130/30 funds will continue...more...

In a new a webcast titled “What to Expect: Anti-Money Laundering Reviews During Routine Exams,” FINRA reminded members to create “risk-based” AML programs...more...

New research suggests that U.S. companies should be adjusting their investor relations strategies to respond to fundamental shifts in the composition and expectations of the U.S. equity buy side — namely the growing influence of hedge funds...more...

Earlier this week, the Trenton-based New Jersey Division of Investment announced it will be investing in preferred stock from Merrill Lynch & Co. and Citigroup Inc...more...

On December 18, Joseph Collins, a partner at the law firm Mayer Brown LLP was indicted for his involvement in breaking securities laws by misleading investors and hiding losses for the futures and commodity broker, Refco...more...

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) fined and sanctioned a broker-dealer firm and two individual brokers in connection with hedge fund prime brokerage and soft dollar services...more...

As hedge funds become more and more popular investment choices, it is becoming increasingly difficult for institutional investors to decipher which funds deserve their time and which don’t...more...

Would-be college investors still learning the ropes in Business 101 were given the chance at a big opportunity with Clear Indexes LLC’s online contest through the social networking website, Facebook...more...

The RAND Corporation, a nonprofit policy group, has been working with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to update the standards and distinctions used by the SEC to regulate financial professionals...more...

HedgeOp Compliance, a New York-based solution software provider for hedge funds has unveiled a new system for cutting through the overwhelming layers of regulation...more...

Industry leading publications and investment executives are paying increasing attention to resurgence in a strategic growth technique being deployed within the asset management industry. That growth—or “M&A-lite”—technique is the asset management liftout...more...

In a first ever study, Jeffries Asset Management and The Center for International Securities and Derivatives Markets, a division of University of Massachusetts’ Isenberg’s School of Management in Amherst, probes the effects of seeding hedge funds and its impact on risk adjusted returns...more...

A recent Russell Reynolds report shows that asset and wealth management firms are now dominating the financial services talent market after market downturn...more...

In accordance with the principles of modern portfolio theory, sophisticated investors have increasingly sought to diversify their portfolio through the use of alternative investments. An alternative investment is generally regarded as supplementary assets or trading strategies other than long-only exposure to traditional assets such as stocks...more...

Despite requests for a delay, mainly by small companies, it appears the Financial Accounting Standards Board is proceeding to implement Rule 157, which pertains to private equity valuation...more...

A fund has successfully applied its investment objectives and has substantially beaten the market and its benchmarks, but there is a simple math error on the monthly statement.  That lonely single sheet of paper, being the only tangible product an investor receives, is now raising questions about the fund’s credibility...more...

On Sept. 18 Advent unveiled Geneva 7.0, a technical and functional upgrade to Advent’s investment management, reporting, and accounting platform that makes data more accessible. “When any user in a firm wants up-to-the-minute information about positions, returns, or profit and loss, they can now get it directly out of Geneva without having to go to another system,” says Todd Gottula, Co-Head of Global Accounts, Vice President Development, Services, and Support... more...

More and more emerging managers are receiving their Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) certification to better compete with large fund counterparts... more...

As alternative investments 'primarily hedge funds' continue to gain increased acceptance within the institutional and wealth client arenas, funds-of-hedge-funds (FoHF's) will continue to have a place in the alts market. However...more...

As has been explored in numerous articles in major investment and financial publications and industry journals, the vexing issue of valuation of alternative investment holdings is front and center whether the venue is hedge funds or private equity funds....more...

Perhaps one of the most daunting challenges facing start-up funds is connecting with suitable investors. Like finding the perfect mate, forging fruitful partnerships from among the tens of thousands of individuals and institutions seeking alternative approaches can seem like a haphazard, overwhelming enterprise... more...

According to MayerCap, the print media's often uninformed and inaccurate general criticism of the hedge fund industry leads to misleading articles about the industry in the financial press. Eldon C. Mayer, Jr., co-founder and Chief Investment Officer, describes the importance of independent administrators in hedge funds, as well as the investor's ultimate responsibility to minimize the chance of being defrauded. more...

Oscar Wilde once described a cynic as "a man who knows the price of everything and the value ofnothing." In today's world, that could be a label that some pension fiduciaries end up wearing with regret. As pension decision-makers think about allocating money to "alternative investments" such as hedge funds, private equity funds, commodity pools, managed futures and real estate, they need to be mindful of their fiduciary duties. more...

With increased competition, hedge funds are under more pressure than ever to streamline operations, improve investor relations, and rev up marketing efforts... more...

The rules and regulations applying to hedge funds and their managers can be as complex to navigate as some of the instruments and strategies they employ. The task can be especially daunting for newly formed funds and management teams, which often lack the resources to employ a dedicated chief compliance officer (“CCO”)... more...

Risk and compliance management have become crucial aspects of the investment management and broader investment industry. This is a response to the growing number of enforcement actions from the SEC and other regulatory agencies... more...