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27 Apr 2009

Hedge Fund Assets up to $91 Billion in March

Hedge fund assets under administration (AuA) have grown to $91 billion as of 31 March 2009 from $88 billion at 31 December 2008, according to hedge fund tech. and analytics procider GlobeOp Financial Services S.A.

"I am encouraged by the level of fund inflows during the first quarter of 2009." Hans Hufschmid, chief executive officer, said, "New clients with AuA of nearly $12 billion, along with new funds from existing clients of $5 billion and subscription inflows of $3 billion, offset first quarter redemptions and terminations, which we knew would be substantial, as referenced in our 2008 preliminary results announcement."

"In addition," Hufschmid said, "client fund performance generated over $1 billion, a positive sign that hedge fund managers may have begun adapting to the changing market environment."

GlobeOp noted a sustained investor demand for greater transparency, independent portfolio verification and control of capital. Fund managers are looking for operational solutions to meet these requirements and to improve their own operational cost structures that are challenged by redemptions and lower fees.

"Funds will remain under pressure from redemptions by investors and raising new capital will continue to be challenging. Thus, while GlobeOp's current pipeline for new business is promising, we remain focused on prudent cost management and productivity improvements."

With headquarters are in London, New York, Dublin, Ireland; George Town, Cayman Islands; Harrison and Yorktown Heights, NY and Hartford, CT, U.S.A.; and Mumbai (Bombay), India, GlobeOp serves more than 180 clients worldwide, representing $91 billion in assets under administration (AuA).

Environmental Defense Fund Commends New Calif. Hedge Against Higher Fuel Prices

The California Air Resources Board has adopted the world's first Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), once implemented it can dramatically reduce the environmental impact of transportation, the Environmental Defense Fund says.

The Environmental Defense Fund believes the standard is an important hedge against higher, future conventional fuel prices. By helping develop better and cheaper alternative fuel production methods, low carbon fuels will become increasingly more affordable than gasoline as increasing crude oil prices take hold, the fund believes.

"While achieving the 2020 goal will require expenditures, this measure is an investment that will yield extensive returns through fuel diversification, increased resilience to fuel price fluctuations, independence from foreign fuel sources, and development of emerging businesses."

The low-carbon fuel standard is an important tool to help California transform its fuel mix. When coupled with an economy wide cap on emissions that includes the transportation sector, the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard represents the ultimately cost effective and technologically feasible way to transform our transportation sector and meet carbon reduction goals.

Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems.