Opalesque Exclusive: Cybersecurity, a key risk for financial firms over the next year... [more]Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York:Cybersecurity seems to be topping the list of potential risk factors for financial firms heading into the new year. Booz Allen Hamilton, providers of technology, security, and former employer of Edward Snowden, have released their annual cybersecurity trend fore

Opalesque Radio: No massive bubbles in sight 'except perhaps for real estate in China, government debts, bonds’... [more]Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque Geneva:As U.S. stock indices and some other asset prices are reaching dizzying heights this year despite low growth and high unemployment, many are worrying about possible bubbles.

Stock markets are celebrating victory too early... [more]Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque Geneva:According to SEB, a Nordic financial services group, stock markets are celebrating victory too early. "World economic growth is poised to accelerate, but this will happen slowly and right now market hopes are ahead of the evidence in many cases," says the

Europe – UK hedge funds may relocate after crackdown on partnerships, UK targets hedge fund tax loopholes in tax evasion fight... [more]UK hedge funds may relocate after crackdown on partnerships From Telegraph.co.uk: UK-based hedge funds may be driven overseas, experts have warned, after a clampdown on corporate partnerships became the centrepiece of the Government’s £9bn assault on tax avoidance, evasion and fraud.

Meditor plans to liquidate European hedge fund after review... [more]From Businessweek.com: Meditor Capital Management Ltd., the $3 billion hedge fund-firm run by Talal Shakerchi, is shutting its European equity fund, citing an internal review and new rules restricting short-selling. The firm, based in London, said it can liquidate most of the fund within a “few week

Greenwich Global Hedge Fund Index rises +0.85% in November (+8.27% YTD)... [more]Hedge fund strategy highlights: Hedge Funds posted another positive month in November with the Greenwich Global Hedge Fund Index up 0.85%. Equity markets as measured by the MSCI World Index were up 1.37% but the Barclay Aggregate Bond Index was down -.37%. Long-Short Equity was the be

Update: Edward Lampert sees fund investors check out... [more]From WSJ.com: Edward S. Lampert, struggling to stem heavy losses at Sears Holdings Corp., is facing an exodus of money from his hedge fund. Mr. Lampert’s hedge fund is returning billions to clients of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. who had invested with ESL Investments Inc. in 2007, according to people wi

Investing – Best and worst-performing short bets in Europe, Hayman Capital sells entire stake in J.C. Penney, eBay Inc: Hedge funds are auctioning off support, Hedge funds aren’t crazy about Oracle Corporation anymore... [more]Best and worst-performing short bets in Europe From Valuewalk.com: …Several hedge funds have jumped aboard the shorting bandwagon, the earliest shortsellers were Viking Globlal, Citadel and Pennant Capital.. Shares of K/+S AG are down 40% YTD. The potash industry faced pressure from the

More mutual-fund managers are launching funds that parcel out assets to multiple hedge-fund managers... [more]From WSJ.com: As investors increasingly seek exposure to "alternative" strategies, more mutual-fund managers are launching funds that parcel out assets to multiple hedge-fund managers. The hedge-fund managers reinvest the allotted assets, but not in any hedge fund. The assets go into accounts create

M&A – Arrow Capital Management closes purchase of BluMont Capital Corporation... [more]Arrow Capital Management Inc. has announced that it has received all necessary approvals of applicable securities regulatory authorities and that on December 2, 2013 it completed the previously announced transaction in respect of its purchase of BluMont Capital Corporation from Integrated Asset Mana

Studies – Growth is the top strategic priority for 67% of hedge funds this year... [more]From Newswire.ca: As the hedge fund industry matures, most managers are increasingly focused on growth, according to EY's seventh annual survey of the global hedge fund market. However, the survey shows that while managers want to grow through new products and distribution channels, investors aren't

Regulatory – Volcker rule to create grey area for regulators... [more]From FT.com: The US “Volcker rule”, which bans banks from proprietary trading, will leave a grey area for regulators to police as they see fit, according to a senior Treasury official. Almost four years since it was proposed by President Barack Obama, the new prohibition on banks trading for t

Legal – SAC fund manager Steinberg warned analyst ‘the walls have ears’, Ex-Dell employee Daniel DeVore avoids prison after aiding U.S. probe, SEC’s New Haven pensions subpoena part of fact-finding inquiry... [more]SAC fund manager Steinberg warned analyst ‘the walls have ears’ From Bloomberg.com: SAC Capital Advisors LP fund manager Michael Steinberg’s lawyer challenged his former analyst’s testimony that he sought secrecy about the information he gave the money manager because it was based on an

Commodities – Deutsche Bank quits commodities, but keeps index funds... [more]From Reuters.com: Deutsche Bank, which is quitting trading in most raw materials markets, will retain its near $9 billion commodities index fund business, a strategy industry experts said helps the German bank profit from fees and maintain ties with some of the largest investors. It also shows

People – AIMA announces new chairman and deputy chairman of investor steering committee, Alasdair Robertson elected Chairman of MaplesFS... [more]AIMA announces new chairman and deputy chairman of investor steering committee AIMA, the global hedge fund association, has announced a new Chair and Deputy Chair of the AIMA Investor Steering Committee (ISC), which features leading institutional investors in hedge funds from around th

News Briefs – Investment into emerging markets to fall in 2014, Third-quarter U.S. GDP revised higher as inventories bulge... [more]Investment into emerging markets to fall in 2014 Foreign direct investment into emerging markets should decline next year because of persistent concerns about the global economy, the World Bank's political risk insurance arm said on Thursday. For the first time in five years, companies l

…And Finally – Surprised robbers flee as fencer Scramuzza charged with his epee... [more]From Newsoftheweird.com: When Franco Scaramuzza witnessed two men pepper-spraying a couple in a shopping center parking lot in Nashville, Tenn., in September, he bravely responded in the only way he knew. Scaramuzza, who teaches the art of fencing, drew his fencing sword ("epee") and challenged the