Alternative Market Briefing

Venus Capital launching small cap focused India Emerging Leaders Fund to capture the beta

Friday, December 10, 2010

From Kirsten Bischoff, Opalesque New York:

As developed countries see stagnant economic growth ahead (at best) and continuing problems from the sovereign debt crisis (at worst), emerging markets (EM) present a compelling story for investment.

Throughout 2010, the two EM countries vying for top spot in investor’s hearts have been India and Brazil. Hedge fund managers in both markets have delivered strong performance through 2010 (as of Oct 31, the HFRX Brazil Index is +13.89% YTD and the HFRX India Index is +18.76% YTD). What may give India the boost over its competitor is the bullish outlook for all of Asia, and the sheer size of the growing India population.

“We have been marketing India since 1996 and I have never seen more interest in that market in my career. American investors especially are as enthusiastic about India as they were about China ten years ago. India’s time has come now,” says Vic Mehrotra, CEO of Boston-based Venus Capital.

Venus Capital was founded in 1994 and launched one of the first India hedge funds in 1996. The new Emerging Leaders Fund marks the seventh fund the firm manages (and the second India-focused fund). Based in Boston, the team has maintained a long-term presence in India and currently has 15 research analysts located in the country.

For Venus Capital, the statistics present in the growing India population make a clear case for India’s long-term growth potential. “There are 300 million middle clas......................

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