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23 February 2011

Financial News: Hedge funds show more appetite for risk


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The appetite for risk appears to be increasing in the hedge fund industry, with managers increasing leverage in January, and investors showing strong interest in emerging markets and other more esoteric strategies.


Risk appetite increased on both the supply and the demand sides, according to the monthly hedge fund industry update published by Credit Suisse Prime Services. The report looked at performance, risk and trends across the industry during January.

Edgar Senior, head of capital services at Credit Suisse in London, said: "This is a continuation of a gradual trend we've been seeing over the last 12-18 months, supported by a healthy end to 2010. Funds on average posted double-digit returns last year and the fourth quarter saw the highest single quarter of inflows to hedge funds in three years."

The report said: "Overall book gross leverage at January month-end was up to 2.65X from the December level of 2.52X, as managers started the new year on a positive note and added to positions that were reduced at the end of the year."

Senior said that the leverage figures represent Credit Suisse’s perspective only and may not be representative of the effective leverage that investors in the funds can see, given that managers may hold cash and unencumbered securities elsewhere, or even have leverage elsewhere.

Full article (FN subscription needed) 


© Financial News


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