Opalesque Commodities Briefing » Fund Profile http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing Wed, 22 May 2013 01:30:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Commodity fears and China trouble fund managers http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125430 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125430#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 00:59:19 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125430 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125430>Article Link</a> Even as stocks continue their mostly uninterrupted path to higher ground, fund managers are holding relatively big amounts of cash while worrying about China and a commodities crash. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125430 Commodities trading: Not for the faint-hearted http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125423 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125423#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 01:34:30 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125423 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125423>Article Link</a> Once the darling of hedge funds, commodities are now looking like a poisoned chalice. Last year, hedge funds such as BlueGold, which specialized in crude oil; Centaurus, in natural gas; and Fortress Commodities, across all raw materials, shut down. Several commodities fund of funds also closed last year after clients fled. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125423 Commodity holdings tumble in May, BofA survey says http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125422 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125422#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 01:34:16 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125422 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125422>Article Link</a> Money managers are the most bearish on commodities in more than four years as a majority expected a weaker Chinese economy for the first time in 14 months, a Bank of America Corp. survey showed. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125422 Funds rush to dodge new European rules http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125388 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125388#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 00:26:53 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125388 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125388>Article Link</a> A controversial hedge fund-lite structure looks likely to survive, despite a regulatory clampdown that has claimed its first victim. Cantab Capital Partners, a $5.5bn systematic global macro manager, last week announced the imminent closure of its only onshore Ucits fund as a result of pressure from European regulators. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125388 Hedge funds’ bullish bets on commodities at 6-week high http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125387 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125387#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 00:26:29 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125387 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125387>Article Link</a> The net long money held by hedge funds and other big speculators in commodities is back to a six-week high, moving on from April’s market tumble, as traders piled into oil and oversold crops like coffee, cocoa and corn, trade data showed on Friday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125387 Commodity funds: Don’t bother http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125365 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125365#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 03:13:49 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125365 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125365>Article Link</a> When fund providers make the case for investing in commodities, one of the most frequently cited selling points is that they provide a source of non-correlated returns for traditional portfolios. Unfortunately, that claim doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125365 Commodities hedge funds suffer weak first quarter http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125354 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125354#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 03:24:08 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125354 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125354>Article Link</a> The commodities hedge fund industry is bleeding money. The average fund lost 0.8 per cent in the first quarter of the year, according to a closely watched index compiled by brokerage Newedge. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125354 Gold may get a break if Paulson, other big funds are flushed out http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125334 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125334#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 02:24:02 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125334 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125334>Article Link</a> John Paulson’s Gold Fund lost 27% in April, according to a report on Bloomberg Tuesday, citing someone familiar with the matter. That’s a chunk of change, and explains why the SPDR Gold fund GLD keeps heading south, says Tyler Durden over at ZeroHedge. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125334 Cantab to shut UCITS fund after restrictions on commodity bets http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125330 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125330#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 02:22:51 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125330 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125330>Article Link</a> Cantab Capital Partners LLP, the $5.5 billion hedge-fund firm led by former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) quantitative traders, will shut a pool that is regulated like mutual funds because of restrictions on commodity investments. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125330 Fund managers see opportunity in gold’s price drop http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125193 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125193#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:32:08 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125193 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125193>Article Link</a> Gold is making a comeback after its biggest single-day price plunge in three decades. The sell-off happened almost two weeks ago as investors became less concerned about inflation. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125193 India funds & ETFs pulled out $1.2 bln in March quarter http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125143 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125143#comments Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:01:26 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125143 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125143>Article Link</a> Indian-dedicated funds and ETFs have sold shares worth $1.2 billion during the March quarter as concerns mount over implementation of reforms amid lingering political uncertainty. The funds and ETFs, which sold the shares, include the likes of HSBC, Fidelity, JPMorgan, Lyxor, WisdomTree and iShares, data from US-based global fund tracker Morningstar shows. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125143 Hedge fund gold wagers defy worst slump in 33 years: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125111 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125111#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:10:04 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125111 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125111>Article Link</a> Hedge funds increased bets on gold rallying after prices plunged the most in 33 years, underscoring billionaire John Paulson’s view that bullion will rebound. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125111 Hedge funds show: We aren’t afraid of no gold http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:09:41 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110>Article Link</a> Hedge funds and other big speculators plowed new money into gold even after the precious metal posted a record loss in dollar terms this week, according to trading data on Friday that also showed inflows for many other commodities. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125110 Managers bet on wrong side of gold http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125105 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125105#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:08:23 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125105 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125105>Article Link</a> Hedge funds and other large speculators increased their net bet on higher gold prices during the week the market recorded its largest-ever two-day selloff, according to government data released on Friday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125105 China sovereign fund sees gold price rebound on global recovery http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125068 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125068#comments Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:52:42 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125068 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125068>Article Link</a> World gold prices will pick up over time as a global economic recovery gains traction, a senior official of China’s $482-billion sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125068 Fund managers have capitulated on commodities: Bank of America http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125055 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125055#comments Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:30:27 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125055 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125055>Article Link</a> The S&P 500 hit a record high in April, but that hasn’t driven professional money managers to new optimism on equity markets overall. According to the latest fund manager survey from Bank of America, they are tempering their enthusiasm for stocks – and have given up on commodities. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125055 Silver slump splits hedge funds from Ingot hoarders: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125041 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125041#comments Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:26:54 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125041 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125041>Article Link</a> Hedge funds are betting on cheaper silver for the first time since at least 2006, splitting from investors accumulating close to the biggest hoard ever and the analyst consensus for prices to rebound from a bear market. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125041 Hedge funds’ gloom on ags reaches record high http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125022 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125022#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:53:44 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125022 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125022>Article Link</a> Hedge funds have taken their most bearish view on agricultural commodities on record, despite northern hemisphere weather setbacks testing expectations of sharp recoveries in output of key products this year. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125022 ETF strategy that outperforms hedge funds http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124999 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124999#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:08:19 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124999 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124999>Article Link</a> John Maynard Keynes, the curmudgeonly economist, once said “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones…” One of the more intriguing “new ideas” to hit the mutual fund industry over last few years has been their adoption of hedge fund strategies. These “alternative” mutual funds hold out the promise of delivering hedge fund-like returns, without the high fees, to the retail investor. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124999 Swiss hedge fund, Tiberius adds new natural resources fund http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124981 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124981#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:12:06 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124981 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124981>Article Link</a> Tiberius, the Swiss investment manager known as a leading independent commodity specialist, has further enlarged its product offering by taking over the VCH Natural Resources Fund as of 1st April 2013. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124981 Understanding futures-based commodity fund returns http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124935 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124935#comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:04:45 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124935 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124935>Article Link</a> If you are a holder of one of the many futures-based commodity broad-basket mutual funds or exchange-traded products like (DBC), (GSG), (DJP) or (GCC), then an understanding of what drives the return on the futures contracts held in these products is critically important. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124935 Hedge funds cut bets most since ’08 as prices slump: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124930 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124930#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:57:05 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124930 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124930>Article Link</a> Hedge funds reduced bets on a commodity rally by the most since 2008 as rising supplies of everything from copper to sugar and slowing U.S. growth drove prices to the biggest slump in six months. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124930 Hedge funds return 1.1pct in March, up 3.8pct in Q1 - eVestment http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124919 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124919#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:54:02 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124919 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124919>Article Link</a> Hedge funds were again positive in March, and +3.8% in Q1, with nearly 80% of the industry in positive territory for the year. March performance was representative of the trends throughout the first quarter, namely equities exposure led, credit and volatility strategies were positive, but below their 2012 pace, and FX and commodity funds were a drag on the industry’s returns, according to new data from eVestment. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124919 Hedge funds’ bullish commodity bets down most since Feb http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124914 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124914#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:31:24 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124914 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124914>Article Link</a> Hedge funds and other big speculators have cut their bullish bets on commodities by the most since February, trade data showed on Friday, amid signs of stagnating U.S. economic recovery and uncertainty over raw materials demand. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124914 Commodity trader CF Partners launches first hedge fund http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124838 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124838#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:05:38 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124838 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124838>Article Link</a> CF Partners, active in the commodities market since 2006, has launched a long/short equity hedge fund after hiring Alvaro Ventosa from Spanish fund manager Cygnus Asset Management. Commodity trader CF Partners has launched a long/short equity fund that will trade the utilities, oil and infrastructure sectors. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124838 Bullish commodities bets rebound at fastest pace in four years http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124831 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124831#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:12:05 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124831 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124831>Article Link</a> Investors are boosting wagers on higher commodity prices at the fastest pace in almost four years, rebounding from the least bullish position since 2009, on signs that the U.S. is accelerating and Europe’s debt crisis is easing. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124831 Currency funds see best start http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124806 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124806#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:05:40 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124806 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124806>Article Link</a> Funds that specialize in currencies are enjoying their best start to a year in at least a decade as economies show signs of decoupling. The Parker Global Currency Manager Index gained 2.7% in the first three months of the year, the most for the period since at least 2003 and the biggest jump for any quarter since 2007. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124806 Niche commodity funds beat markets as Jamison doubles assets http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124784 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124784#comments Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:08:34 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124784 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124784>Article Link</a> Commodity and macro markets trader Stephen Jamison has closed his macro commodity fund to new investors after nearly doubling its capital to $1.5 billion last year, making it one of the biggest players in that niche market. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124784 Rated funds: Top four commodity investments http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124741 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124741#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:08:56 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124741 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124741>Article Link</a> It is difficult to imagine that anyone is unaware of the importance of commodities in our everyday lives. Rising energy prices have cranked up household costs and higher food prices are squeezing family budgets. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124741 Hedge funds take commodity bets back to month high from 1-yr low http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124736 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124736#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:14:24 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124736 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124736>Article Link</a> Hedge funds and other big speculators have taken their bullish bets on U.S. commodities back to a one-month high from a more than a one-year low, data showed on Friday, as they bought gold this week on fears of financial meltdown in Cyprus. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124736 Hedge funds most bearish ever on copper, favor gold: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124724 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124724#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:11:11 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124724 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124724>Article Link</a> Hedge funds are making the biggest bet against copper on record as global inventories expand to a nine-year high, while concern that Europe’s debt crisis will spread spurred the biggest gain in gold bets since 2008. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124724 Fund managers underweight commodities big time http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124715 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124715#comments Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:20:02 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124715 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124715>Article Link</a> Fund managers are underweighting commodities big time according to the latest fund manager survey issued by Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BoAML) on March 19 which reveal a big jump in the underweighting of the commodities sector from a net 1% to a net 11% underweight in March. This is 1.3 standard deviations below the average and the largest underweight since July 2012. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124715 Hedge funds still lagging S&P 500, commodities under pressure http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124680 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124680#comments Wed, 20 Mar 2013 02:13:20 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124680 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124680>Article Link</a> Hedge funds continue to lag the market, according to new data from lead hedge fund analyst Mary Ann Bartels at Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research. The preliminary February return for the Global Diversified Hedge Fund index was a gain of 0.17% compared to the S&P 500 gain of 1.11%. The Investable Hedge Fund weekly index is up 0.65% MTD for March, while the S&P is up 2.63%. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124680 Calpers turns back to commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124679 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124679#comments Wed, 20 Mar 2013 02:13:03 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124679 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124679>Article Link</a> Calpers, the largest US public pension fund, has endorsed commodities as a safeguard against inflation despite recent moves to pull money from the asset class. The $255bn fund chopped commodities investments by more than half late last year, prompting reports it was retreating from the market. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124679 Hedge funds raise bullish commodity bets first time in 5 weeks http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124641 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124641#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:43:37 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124641 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124641>Article Link</a> Hedge funds and other big speculators raised their bullish bets on U.S. commodities for the first time in five weeks, piling mostly into natural gas and corn due to favorable supply and demand situations, trade data showed on Friday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124641 Los Angeles Pension Fund will invest $785 mln in commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124609 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124609#comments Fri, 15 Mar 2013 03:25:39 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124609 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124609>Article Link</a> The Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension System, with about $15.7 billion in assets, is allocating about $785 million for commodities, its first investment in the asset class. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124609 Top LA pension OKs $800 mln for commodities; eyes ‘active’ play http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124585 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124585#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:37:33 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124585 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124585>Article Link</a> The largest public pension in Los Angeles is investing $800 million in commodities over the next two years, a quarter in actively managed derivatives, as it tries to profit from markets that have frustrated many institutional investors. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124585 Hedge funds most bearish on ags since 2009 crisis http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124545 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124545#comments Tue, 12 Mar 2013 03:28:17 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124545 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124545>Article Link</a> Hedge funds turned their most bearish on agricultural commodities since the depths of the global financial crisis - but appear to have been wrong-footed in lean hogs - ramping up short bets– just ahead of a rebound in prices. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124545 Hedge funds cut bets to ’09 low as Goldman says buy: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124543 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124543#comments Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:20:37 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124543 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124543>Article Link</a> Hedge funds cut bets on a commodity rally to a four-year low on signs of surplus supply in everything from coffee to zinc before Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said prices had fallen too far and investors should buy. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124543 Hedge funds eek out positive month despite losses in macro, managed futures and commodity funds http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124496 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124496#comments Thu, 07 Mar 2013 03:41:50 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124496 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124496>Article Link</a> Hedge funds held overall returns in positive territory this month, however, good performance from equity, credit and volatility strategies was overshadowed by losses from macro, managed futures and commodity funds. According to monthly performance data from eVestment, hedge funds were up +0.28% for the month and are up +6.87% for the year. Macro, managed futures and commodities strategies were down - -0.01%; 1.49%, and -3.01% respectively. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124496 Broken Brent, hedge fund noise and static fundamentals http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124490 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124490#comments Wed, 06 Mar 2013 03:23:06 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124490 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124490>Article Link</a> Observing Brent in the first two months of 2013 has been a bit like watching a broken barometer. It is not clear what the market has been reacting to, as prices swing to and fro, but it certainly hasn’t been fundamentals. Volatility has fallen to its lowest level for almost two decades. But what remains seems to have been induced by hedge funds rather than changes in physical supply and demand. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124490 Investors least bullish in 4 years pull cash: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124469 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124469#comments Tue, 05 Mar 2013 03:39:01 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124469 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124469>Article Link</a> Investors cut wagers on a rally for commodities to the lowest in almost four years and pulled a record $4.23 billion from funds last week as prices erased this year’s gain on a slowdown for manufacturing in China. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124469 Hedge funds slow bearish shift in ag positioning http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124458 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124458#comments Tue, 05 Mar 2013 03:35:36 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124458 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124458>Article Link</a> Hedge funds have slowed their shift into short position in agricultural commodities, but not by much, maintaining in particular a negative stance on livestock derivatives. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124458 Investors remove record $4.23 bln from commodity funds http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124449 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124449#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2013 04:00:37 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124449 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124449>Article Link</a> Money managers removed a record $4.23 billion from commodity funds in the week ended February 27, led by declines in precious-metal holdings, as raw materials capped the biggest monthly loss since October. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124449 Investors stick with commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124448 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124448#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2013 04:00:14 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124448 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124448>Article Link</a> Gold and copper lose their lustre; Dynamic strategies replace index plays. “Oil, gold and copper just are not what they used to be,” muses Blu Putnam, chief economist at the CME Group. “The hedge funds trading them got whipsawed last year.” Indeed, several high-profile commodities funds closed their doors last year because of poor performance and Clive Capital and BlueGold were among several large billion-dollar commodities funds to suffer hefty losses in 2012.
The January revelation that the California Public Employees’ Retirement System pension fund (Calpers) had more than halved its commodities exposure to just $1.57 billion (0.6% of exposure) from $3.45 billion in September 2012 started speculation that an exodus from the sector is imminent………………………………………..Full Article: Source

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124448 Agricultural, energy funds lead commodities pack http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124447 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124447#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:59:54 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124447 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124447>Article Link</a> The rising price of corn, soybean and wheat, which was triggered by last summer’s drought in the U.S. Midwest, helped BMO Agriculture Commodities exchange-traded fund gain nearly 6 per cent. (This ETF also tracks futures contracts of commodities like cocoa, coffee, sugar and cotton.) (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124447 Food price speculation taken off the menu http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124444 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124444#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:59:04 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124444 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124444>Article Link</a> An Oxfam report that accuses banks trading agricultural commodities of “speculating on hunger” is transmitting high-voltage shocks across the fund management industry. European banks are choosing either not to speculate on food prices on behalf of investors or to scrap funds tracking agricultural prices, following a scathing critique by the non-profit group’s Paris office. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124444 Gold and commodities are dead, hedge funds are liquidating: SPDR Gold Trust, iShares Silver Trust http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124375 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124375#comments Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:35:43 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124375 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124375>Article Link</a> Bloomberg news just reported that Hedge Funds cuts their bets on Gold ($GLD) , and became the most bearish on agricultural commodities since 2007 such as sugar and coffee. Hedge Funds are spooked that the Federal Reserve will slow the U.S. stimulus programs that have artificially raised prices for raw materials. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124375 Threadneedle launches absolute return commodities fund http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124373 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124373#comments Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:35:04 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124373 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124373>Article Link</a> Asset manager Threadneedle Investments has launched the Columbia Threadneedle SICAV-SIF Absolute Commodities Fund that aims to target a 10%-15% return on an annualized basis, net of fees, on a long term investment horizon. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124373 Hedge funds’ ag shorting rush may be past its peak http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124358 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124358#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:18:56 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124358 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124358>Article Link</a> The worst of a turn bearish by hedge funds on agricultural commodities may be over after spreading into all major contracts – although, for a second week, being focused on corn and sugar derivatives. Managed money, a proxy for speculators, in the week to last Tuesday – unusually - cut its net long exposure to futures and options all 13 major grain, livestock, oilseed and soft commodity contracts monitored by Agrimoney.com. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124358 Morgan Stanley to launch a new UCITS Fund that offers exposure to Mesirow Financial’s Absolute Return Plus Strategy http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124357 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124357#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:18:44 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124357 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124357>Article Link</a> Morgan Stanley today announced the launch of a new fund, the MS Discretionary Plus UCITS Fund, under its FundLogic Alternatives plc umbrella. The fund, which provides exposure to the Mesirow Absolute Return Plus Strategy, is the last in a series of four CTA strategies to be made available in a UCITS format through Morgan Stanley’s partnership with Equinox Fund Management LLC, a U.S.-based multi-manager, specializing in constructing portfolios of multiple Commodity Trading Advisor programs. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124357 Gold bets cut by most since ’07 as sugar bears grow: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124349 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124349#comments Mon, 25 Feb 2013 01:31:20 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124349 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124349>Article Link</a> Hedge funds cut bets on a rally in gold by the most since 2007 and became the most bearish ever on sugar and coffee as concern that the Federal Reserve will slow U.S. stimulus programs drove prices for raw materials to the biggest loss this year. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124349 Carlyle buys hedge fund Vermillion in commodities expansion http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124317 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124317#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:15:27 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124317 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124317>Article Link</a> Carlyle Group LP (CG), the second-largest buyout firm, bought commodities hedge-fund manager Vermillion Asset Management LLC, adding $2.2 billion in commodities assets as the firm expands beyond private equity. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124317 Is a hedge fund to blame for commodity pain? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124316 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124316#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:15:13 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124316 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124316>Article Link</a> Commodities from oil to gold took a beating Wednesday—is a hedge fund partially to blame? Such were rumors late yesterday: As energy and metals logged some of their biggest losses in months, some speculated that a hedge fund, forced to liquidate its positions, drove some of the selling. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124316 Prices tumble after talk of hedge fund in trouble http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124307 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124307#comments Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:33:10 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124307 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124307>Article Link</a> Commodities tumbled on Wednesday amid speculation a hedge fund had been forced to liquidate positions across metals and oil markets, and gold fell to more than a seven-month low on worries that the U.S. economic stimulus may soon dry up. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124307 Commodities tumble on speculation hedge fund selling positions http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124306 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124306#comments Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:32:51 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124306 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124306>Article Link</a> Commodities fell, capping the biggest loss in more than two months, as metals and energy tumbled amid speculation that a hedge fund was selling. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI Spot Index of 24 raw materials declined 1.1 percent to settle at 668.28 at 3:49 p.m. New York time, the largest drop since Dec. 6. Silver futures led the losses, retreating as much as 4 percent. Crude oil fell the most since November, and gold slumped to $1,558.10 an ounce, the lowest since July. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124306 Calpers commodity holdings fell 0.7pct in December to $1.577bln http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124280 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124280#comments Wed, 20 Feb 2013 02:53:29 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124280 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124280>Article Link</a> The value of commodity holdings by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest U.S. pension fund, fell 0.7 percent in December from the previous month, according to the most-recent data available. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124280 Hedge funds cut commodity net longs; gold hit http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124271 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124271#comments Tue, 19 Feb 2013 01:09:23 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124271 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124271>Article Link</a> Hedge funds and other big speculators slashed their bullish bets on U.S. commodities, taking aim particularly at gold which had lost some of its lustre this year, trade data released on Friday showed. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124271 Commodity funds: Glimmer of light following tough 2012 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124258 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124258#comments Tue, 19 Feb 2013 01:05:47 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124258 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124258>Article Link</a> Commodity hedge funds have been in the doldrums somewhat, as the macroeconomic climate continues to make life difficult for managers. Performance, in effect, just hasn’t stacked up, leading to some institutional investors heading for the exit. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124258 Bull wagers tumble most this year as gold bets drop: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124250 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124250#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2013 01:29:26 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124250 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124250>Article Link</a> Investors cut wagers on a rally in commodities by the most since November as signs of improving U.S. growth reduced demand for gold and rains in South America added to signs that crop harvests will be bigger.
Hedge funds and other large speculators reduced net-long positions across 18 U.S. futures and options in the week ended Feb. 12 by 15 percent to 757,060 contracts, the largest decline since Nov. 13, U.S. (more…)

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