The Reading Room

What is the Volcker rule?

The long-term effects of the rule are uncertain but, in anticipation of it, many proprietary trading operations are breaking ties with the banks.

Global hedge fund launches surge in 2011

Despite performance volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty in the second half of the year, investors maintained a strong commitment to hedge funds

Egypt again leads the African pack

Quiet February but with seven of eleven markets advancing

Hedge funds to pay more for litigation insurance

Insurers are quoting rates that are 5% to 10% higher for coverage that protects hedge funds against government investigations and investor lawsuits, after more than two years of rate declines

How hedge funds have changed in a decade

At the end of 2011 hedge funds reached $2.01 trillion, an estimated annual growth rate of 12.3%

Withdrawals cause hedge fund startups to falter

New Asian managers battle to move from start-up to critical mass as biggest investors pull their capital

Hedge funds gain from improved performance

As uncertainty about Europe settles, people are happier to again allocate to hedge funds

SA pension industry moves on indirect costs

Unnecessary costs can affect portfolios by 3% very quickly, says Riscura

Healthy hedge fund growth predicted

Deutsche Bank survey: investors predict continued growth, with an estimated net inflow of $140bn in 2012, taking industry AUM to an all-time high of $2.26tn by year end.

Big PIC investment plans for Africa

Public Investment Corporation hopes to start investing close to R5bn in Africa outside SA putting it in a position to build shopping malls in African countries and diversify its investment portfolio.