/** mybloglog update news*/

Monday, June 30, 2008

Hong Kong and Singapore firms form JV to offer alternative managers one stop shop - all risk, middle- and back-end requirements

Opalesque Exclusive: Hong Kong and Singapore firms form JV to offer alternative managers `one stop shop` for all risk, middle- and back-end requirements


Quality Risk Management & Operations (QRMO) and Skye Fund Services are pleased to announce their strategic alliance in offering a streamlined, comprehensive suite of products to alternative investment fund managers across Asia Pacific, effective immediately.

With this strategic alliance, Skye and QRMO will offer a one-stop shop solution to fund managers, especially in the hedge fund and fund of hedge funds space. A product suite combining Skye’s signature administration and middle office services with QRMO’s acclaimed middle/back office, risk management and independent third party valuation services will for the first time offer fund managers in the small-mid tier segment a one-stop shop solution for all risk, middle- and back-end requirements.


Source:
Hong Kong and Singapore firms form JV to offer alternative managers `one stop shop` for all risk, middle- and back-end requirements

What is happening to Kerviel now?

Matthias Knab: The investigations around the scandal dealer Jérôme Kerviel and the bank Société Générale are completed. Opalesque is looking at the most important questions and answers related to this spectacular case.

Was Kerviel acting on his own?
Jérôme Kerviel will be in all probability the only accused in the criminal procedure. The accusation could by falsification and use of falsified documents, breach of trust and illegal penetration into a computer system. These are at least the aims of the current nvestigations. The public prosecutor's office rejected the thesis, according to which Kerviel had not alone acted. His assistant Thomas Mougard was involved in about every 8th transaction and congratulated him on 31 December 2007 by email to a profit of 1.4 billion euros. The prosecutor is not recognizing any complicity.

Source:
What is happening to Kerviel now?



What is happening to Kerviel now? | Kerviel | What is happening to Kerivel?

The 4th GCC Oil Boom Part 3: Understanding Islam

By Matthias Knab: In June 2008 I spent about one week in Dubai (my third visit), where I was chairing a three-day executive conference with central bankers, CEOs, CIOs, treasurers and other allocators. In a lose series of articles, I will share with you some of the insights gained at that conference.

It becomes quite obvious that the sheer amount of Petrodollars to be created in the 4th GCC Oil Boom (2002 - ????) (see Part 1 of this article series: `An embarrassment of riches` ($30 trillion until 2030) together with the rise of Islamic Finance as a new paradigm has the potential to profoundly change the global financial system, as we know it today.

Source:
The 4th GCC Oil Boom Part 3: Understanding Islam



The 4th GCC Oil Boom Part 3: Understanding Islam | The 4th GCC Oil Boom Part 3 | The GCC Oil Boom Part 3: Understanding Islam

Sherpa Asset readies to launch equities fund

Sherpa Asset readies to launch equities fund on June 1
Kirsten Bischoff, Opalesque New York: Vancouver-based Sherpa Asset Management will be launching the Sherpa Diversified Returns Fund on June 1st with assets of between $10m - $30m. Portfolio Manager David Guarasci, will be running a strategy combining investments in North American mid-to large-cap equities with a proprietary options-trading strategy which Guarasci has developed utilizing his decade long experience at TD Securities where he was Global Head of Currency Spot and Options Trading.

Guarasci explained a bit of the trade strategy to Opalesque. In addition to the investments in mid- to large-cap North American Equities, the fund will then overlay each holding with an options trading strategy. The fund will also utilize selective and opportunistic shorts as well as long opportunistic gamma/options plays. Finally, they will look to add value through trading the US/Canada Exchange against the equity holdings.

Source:
Sherpa asset




Sherpa asset | Sherpa assets | Sherpa assets launch equities fund | Sherpa asset readies |

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

libya's rapidly expanding oil services market | libyan fund targets oil services market | Libyan Fund targets Libya`s rapidly expanding oil services..

Tuareg Capital, the private equity group with focus on Libya and Capital Management House, the Bahrain based financial institution, announced today that their investment initiative, the Libya Fund, via TAB Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Fund has acquired a majority interest in Etelaf Oil Services, a Libyan based oil service company. TAB Energy will act as the Fund's platform to capitalize on the highly attractive investment opportunities within the Libyan hydrocarbon sector.

The acquisition is the first investment by the Libya Fund, created by Tuareg Capital to capture the opportunities available in Libya across a range of sectors including oil services, healthcare, real estate and other service sectors. Tuareg Capital is the original promoter and Fund Manager of the Libya Fund and Capital Management House is the lead sponsor and was responsible for structuring both the Fund and the acquisition in accordance with Shariah financing principles.
TAB Energy, through its drilling subsid......................

Source: libya's rapidly expanding oil services market




libya's rapidly expanding oil services market | libyan fund targets oil services market | Libyan Fund targets Libya`s rapidly expanding oil services..

Leading Alternatives Publisher Opalesque Ltd. Forms Joint Venture with Janice M. Johnson, CPA, JD to Launch Hedge Fund Conference Division

Summary:
Inaugural Series of Hedge Fund Workshops Starts in July - 16 Hours of Education Credit to CPAs and Attorneys

New York, June 25, 2008 -- Opalesque, the world's largest subscription-based publisher on alternative investments, has launched its Conferences Division, which is a joint venture between publisher Opalesque Ltd., and Janice M. Johnson, a widely recognized originator of alternative investment and other tax and financial services conferences for the past two decades.

The first series produced by the Conferences Division will be a series of Alternative Investment Workshops designed to more fully explore issues encountered in advising and managing the formation and operation of funds. The workshops will be held every Tuesday morning, beginning July 22, 2008 and running on consecutive Tuesdays through August 12, 2008.

16 Hours of Education Credit to CPAs and Attorneys
Each workshop is designed to provide 4 hours of continuing education credits to CPAs and attorneys. They are being sponsored overall by Crowell & Moring, and by the newly combined organizations of Custom House and Equity Trust. All sessions will be held at the Yale Club in New York City.

These four workshops are designed to give hedge fund professionals a better understanding of specific issues confronting the hedge fund industry. They range in coverage from Dissecting the Private Placement Memorandum, to an In-Depth Exploration of Tax and Accounting Issues, to Planning for Hedge Fund Managers and Investors, to Delving into the Growing World of Alternative Alternatives.

A brochure with all details can be downloaded here:
http://www.opalesque.com/files/OpalesqueWorkshopsFlyer.pdf

Chaired by Janice M. Johnson, CPA, JD
Opalesque Conferences Division is headed by Janice M. Johnson, CPA, JD. Janice M. Johnson is a pioneer in advising on the structure of, and issues encountered by, hedge funds in her capacity as Partner in several international CPA firms. She previously chaired the Investment Partnerships Conference of the New York State Society of CPAs for 8 years where it grew into a nationally recognized event drawing more than 600 attendees. She is also the Founding Chair of the Taxation of Financial Instruments and Transactions Committee of the NYSSCPA.

For five years, Janice wrote and taught in 30 cities the AICPA’s Annual Tax Update course. She has appeared numerous times over the past two decades on television and radio programs to discuss investing and tax issues and she has spoken on these topics, as well as on tax legislative initiatives, at various conferences around the nation and abroad.

The initial workshop, Dissecting the Private Placement Memorandum, will be offered on July 22, 2008 at the Yale Club and will examine the various provisions in the PPM that are crucial to the operations of the hedge fund and to allocations of its profits and losses. Among these provisions are the sections governing tax allocations and trader versus investor descriptions; manager compensation; permissible investments of the fund; break periods; types of investors that will be allowed; and provisions governing distributions and withdrawals from the fund.

Following this session on July 29, 2008 will be An Exploration of Key Tax and Accounting Issues for Hedge Funds. This morning session will cover the application of the unrelated business tax, New York tax issues specific to investment partnerships, valuing illiquid assets, and Form 1065 tricks and traps.

On August 5, 2008, the morning session will be devoted to Planning for Hedge Fund Managers and Investors and will include an in-depth exploration of the issues encountered in determining trader versus investor status and the consequences that flow from either determination, as well as a session on the issues to be considered in structuring funds and an overview of unique estate and gift tax planning issues.

The final workshop in the series, Alternative Alternative Investments, will be presented on August 12, 2008 and will focus on issues related to funds investing primarily in other than equities. Specifically, the issues related to investing in hard assets, infrastructure and options strategies will be discussed.

Events to come:
2008 conferences will include a November 10, 2008 forum dedicated to updating hedge fund advisers and insiders on need-to-know developments in the industry, the Hedge Fund Insiders’ Update.

On January 12, 2009, a Primer on Hedge Funds, will be offered in New York City, to allow those wanting to understand the alternative investment industry to obtain a firm footing in its unique concepts and issues.

More details, registration here: http://www.opalesque.com/workshops
A brochure with all details can be downloaded here:
http://www.opalesque.com/files/OpalesqueWorkshopsFlyer.pdf

About Opalesque:

Opalesque leads the finance media space for its in-depth and innovative products. Since February 2003, Opalesque has published Alternative Market Briefing, the premium news service on hedge funds and alternatives. The launch of these Briefings was a revolution in the hedge fund media space ("Opalesque changed the world by bringing transparency where there was opacity and by delivering an accurate professional reporting service." - Nigel Blanchard, Culross) combining proprietary news with the “clipping service” approach of integrating third party news. Each week, Opalesque publications are read by more than 400,000 industry professionals in over 100 countries.

Opalesque is the only daily hedge fund publisher which is actually read by the elite managers themselves (http://www.opalesque.com/op_testimonials.html).

About Opalesque Conferences:

In 2008 Opalesque launched its Conference Division, bringing together the leaders in the Hedge Fund Industry to educate, debate, and network. 2008 conferences will include a November 10, 2008 forum dedicated to updating hedge fund advisers and insiders on need-to-know developments in the industry, the Hedge Fund Insiders’ Update. The series of summer 2008 workshops will allow interested hedge fund community members to drill down into specific areas of hedge fund expertise such as tax and accounting issues, private placement memoranda hot button issues, financial and estate planning for hedge fund managers and investors, and exploring in-depth the developing array of alternative investments. On January 12, 2009, a Primer on Hedge Funds will be offered in New York City, to allow those wanting to understand the alternative investment industry to obtain a firm footing in its unique concepts and issues.

About Opalesque Publications:

Alternative Market Briefing is a daily newsletter on the global hedge fund industry, highly praised for its completeness and timely delivery of the most important daily news for professionals dealing with hedge funds. Alternative Market Briefing offers both a quick overview and in-depth coverage. Subscribers can also access the industry’s largest news archive ( 27,000+ articles ) on hedge funds and related topics.

A SQUARE is the first web publication, globally, that is dedicated exclusively to alternative investments. A SQUARE's weekly selections feature unique investment opportunities that bear virtually no correlation to the main stream hedge fund strategies and/or distinguish themselves by virtue of their "alternative" motive – for instance, social or behavioral strategies or those focused on natural resources or sustainable/environment-related investing.

With its "research that reveals" approach, fast facts and investment oriented analysis, A SQUARE offers diversification and complementary ideas for private, high net-worth and institutional investors, pension funds and endowments, portfolio and hedge fund managers.

Technical Research Briefing delivers three times a week a global perspective/overview on all major markets, including equity Indices, fixed Income, currencies, and commodities. Opalesque Technical Research is unique compared to most available research which is fundamental in nature and not technically (chart) oriented.

Opalesque Roundtable Series:

In an Opalesque Roundtable, some of the leading hedge fund managers (single and multi strategy managers) as well as representatives of the local investor base (institutions, fund of funds, advisers) are united to gain unique insights into the specific idiosyncrasies and developments, as well as the issues and advantages of specific global hedge fund centers.

Through the series, hedge fund investors looking for new talent, a hedge fund interested in diversifying its investor base service providers looking for new clients will all get to know some of the leaders in each hedge fund center and will find invaluable information and intelligence without any travel involved.

For more information, please go to http://www.opalesque.com


Hedge fund news | hedge funds manager news

Monday, June 23, 2008

Danfonds to outsource investment analytics to Capgemini

Fund launches: Opalesque Exclusive: Danfonds to outsource investment analytics to Capgemini, launching frontier market fund in September, Ex-Pimco manager Brynjolfsson to start hedge fund, Cazenove to launch long-awaited Russell vehicle.

Opalesque Exclusive: Danfonds to outsource investment analytics to Capgemini, launching frontier market fund in September
Danfonds Aps has signed a Letter of Engagement to enter into an outsourcing agreement for analytical work on frontier market equities. The engagement, negotiated with Capgemini Consulting India Pvt. Ltd. includes the supply of services, investment analytics and project work to Danfonds Aps and its subsidiary Danfonds Investment Management (Cayman) Limited in respect of the Danfonds Frontier Funds SPC.

The outsourcing arrangement shall commence from the date that Danfonds Frontier Funds SPC, Frontier Markets Liquid Class B shares, are listed on the Irish stock exchange in accordance with the Offering Memorandum provisionally dated September 2008. The contract shall, in the first instance, be valid till August 2010.

Danfonds Aps is investment adviser to Danfonds Investment Management (Cayman) Limited, which in turn is investment manager to Danfonds Frontier Markets SPC. Danfonds plans to launch the Euro 25m - Euro 200m fund in September with a listing on the Irish Stock Exchange. Daniel Broby, CEO of Danfonds, believes the arrangement "allows us to make investment decisions faster and more accurately. The alpha in frontier markets comes from selecting the right countries to invest in as well as by an informational advantage and bottom up investment decisions. This is not a case of outsourcing alpha but of improving our ability to make those decisions."...

source:
Danfonds to outsource investment analytics to Capgemini







Danfonds to outsource investment analytics to Capgemini
| Danfonds to outsource investment analytics to Capgemini,launching frontier market fund in September | Danfonds outsource investments to Capegemini |

Friday, June 20, 2008

Mulvaney Global Markets Funds

Energy pushes Mulvaney Global Markets Fund to 38.96% YTD

The Mulvaney Capital Management Global Diversified Program, a long term systematic trend following program, was up 5.35% in May to a YTD of 38.96%. The fund has experienced some high volatility, to the upside (Jan. 2008 up 21.65%, February up 28.86%) while March and April were down (--7.96% and -8.58%). The program is now way ahead of its 2007 losses (-16.89% and -19.40% in July and August 2007), when it ended the year down -23.14%....

Source:Mulvaney Global Markets Fund







Mulvaney Global Markets Funds | Energy pushes Mulvaney Global Markets Fund to 38.96% YTD | Global Market funds Mulvaney