Hedge Funds Manager Developments

S&P Fund Services has released its ʻAlternatives – Futuresʼ sector review, which includes Commodity Futures, CTAs, and Global Macro funds.

The review analysed 14 headline products, with three ‘NEW’ ratings on offerings from BNY Mellon, Man AHL, and Taurus. The BlackRock Asset Allocation Alpha Fund and Winton Global Alpha Fund were both rated five stars.

S&P says it is witnessing increased interest in the peer group after managed futures and directional macro products put in good performance during the GFC.

Meanwhile, S&P has reinstated its three star rating on the CFS Wholesale Australian Share Long Short-Core Fund, following the appointment of portfolio manager Wayne Gentle to replace Martin Littler who recently retired from CFS.

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Alternatives fund manager Blue Sky Alternative Investments is seeking to raise $7.5 million as part of an IPO and ASX listing. The IPO will give the company a $33.5m market capitalisation. A net profit after tax of $3.5 million and an estimated yield dividend of 6 per cent is forecasted.

Blue Sky has $180 million AUM and operates four investment management businesses covering Private Equity, Private Real Estate, Hedge Funds and Infrastructure/Commodities.

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Regal Funds Management was recently profiled in the Australian Newspaper. The hedge fund manager currently has over 20 employees and more than $1 billion under management. It recently launched a natural resources fund.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that the firm has launched the Regal Asian Quantitative Fund with $25 million in initial capital. It is being managed by Stephen Baldwin.

About 40 percent of AUM in Regalʼs flagship Amazon Market Neutral Fund comes from family offices, 40 percent from institutions including endowments, and the remainder from fund of funds and foundations, according to Bloomberg.

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The ASX will offer quotations and settlement of unlisted Australian managed funds from April 2012. The exchange will use its settlement system in a similar way to managed funds in Europe being quoted via Euroclear and Clearstream, and in the US via the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp.

There are around 10,000 managed funds in Australia typically offered by financial planners and stock brokers.