MPs warned against Over-regulation of Hedge Funds
FSA Chief executive John Tiner warned the House of Commons Treasury Committee in London that the over-regulation of hedge funds would drive firms based in the UK offshore. He told the Committee that the current regulatory regime helped the City to compete directly with New York.
US hedge funds have been opening offices in London to gain access to European investors and increase their trading in the region’s capital markets. Mr Tiner told the MPs: “Our worry would be that, if we had a disproportionate effect on these companies, they would take their business offshore.”
Mr Tiner’s comments come six weeks after it emerged that star trader Philippe Jabre will set up a hedge fund in Geneva next year, away from the FSA, who fined the two hedge fund managers GLG Partners and Jabre 750,000 pounds each “for market abuse and breaching FSA principles.”
A new report also found that the London market needs to do more to develop business relations with China and India. The report, by risk analysts Sami Consulting and Oxford Analytica, said that London was not achieving its potential, the specialist monitoring team follows about 30 hedge funds “that comprise a major part of the market”.
The sudy showed that despite London’s status as a major financial hub, Indian companies have been establishing more links with the United States and Dubai, and Chinese companies with the United States, Singapore and Hong Kong, the report said.
“To counter this threat,” it said, “City companies will need to seek out and develop long-term relationships with people at all relevant levels within the Indian and Chinese financial and business communities.”
It noted that “both countries are rich with opportunity – but also with risk.”
26 Oct 2006
Investors dissatisfied with Fund of Hedge Fund Results
According to Mercer Investment Consulting, a global survey has revealed that despite growing interest in hedge funds, less than a quarter of the pension schemes that invest in them are satisfied with their investment returns.
When asked to rate overall satisfaction with their funds of hedge funds manager, the survey of over 180 large pension schemes worldwide found less than half (47%) were satisfied. A further 19% indicating they have not invested in hedge funds yet, but would begin using them within the next two years.
Mercer global head of investment consulting policy Divyesh Hindocha said the lack of satisfaction expressed by investors was likely to be due to a mixture of high expectations and fund managers not explaining their strategies clearly enough.
“While FoHF are attracting a great deal of attention, many investors are unclear about what they wish to achieve by investing in them, and what the funds can realistically deliver,” he said.
“If investors’ objectives are unclear and their expectations are out of kilter with reality, there is scope for disappointment….The survey shows that fund of hedge fund managers can do far more to improve their client servicing skills” Hindocha said.
“Investors want to look under the bonnet to gain a better understanding of a fund’s strategy and operations, but many investment managers are reluctant to disclose full details.”
“Fund managers that are transparent about their strategies and processes are more likely to attract investors and be able to manage their clients’ expectations better.”
When asked to rate overall satisfaction with their funds of hedge funds manager, the survey of over 180 large pension schemes worldwide found less than half (47%) were satisfied. A further 19% indicating they have not invested in hedge funds yet, but would begin using them within the next two years.
Mercer global head of investment consulting policy Divyesh Hindocha said the lack of satisfaction expressed by investors was likely to be due to a mixture of high expectations and fund managers not explaining their strategies clearly enough.
“While FoHF are attracting a great deal of attention, many investors are unclear about what they wish to achieve by investing in them, and what the funds can realistically deliver,” he said.
“If investors’ objectives are unclear and their expectations are out of kilter with reality, there is scope for disappointment….The survey shows that fund of hedge fund managers can do far more to improve their client servicing skills” Hindocha said.
“Investors want to look under the bonnet to gain a better understanding of a fund’s strategy and operations, but many investment managers are reluctant to disclose full details.”
“Fund managers that are transparent about their strategies and processes are more likely to attract investors and be able to manage their clients’ expectations better.”
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