Alternative Market Briefing

Highlight on energy (2) – ARP: Now we can all hedge power exposure intelligently

Friday, January 22, 2010

Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque London:

Absolute Return Partners (ARP) has one of the few energy-focused funds that exist across the hedge fund industry. Energy, whether traditional or new, has provoked heated debates since the awareness of global warming and peak oil came to the fore. These funds try to take advantage of price discrepancies that these markets provide or of new opportunities arising in the nascent market of renewables.

The HFRI Energy/Basic Materials Index, which returned 4.06% (est.) in December and 41.58% in 2009, was one of HFR’s top performing indices last year. The same index was down 38.3% in 2008 (the worst performer that year) and up 16.4% in 2007 (the top performer that year).

Our fund today, the NEAS Power Fund, predominantly trades listed futures, options and contracts for difference (CfDs) in the European power markets (including contracts in electricity, carbon and carbon emissions, oil, gas and coal). The investment strategy is dominated by a relative value focus with emphasis on fundamental research, risk management and diversification. It is purely discretionary (as opposed to systematic) in its approach. Launched on 1st October-09, it is down -3.49% for 2009. It is managed by Absolute Return Partners LLP, a fund management company located in Richmond, just South of London.

Nick Rees, partner at ARP, told Opalesque his fund has t......................

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