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Investors allocated over $3 billion of new capital to Asian hedge funds, with new inflows concentrated in Equity Hedge strategies and Japan-focused funds. As of 2Q, total capital invested in the Asian hedge fund industry increased to over $98.4 billion (¥9.6 Trillion Japanese Yen, 602 Billion RMB), the highest level since 2007. Total global hedge fund industry capital increased by nearly $40 billion to a record $2.41 trillion (¥235 Trillion Japanese Yen, 14.7 Trillion RMB) in 2Q13.

Asian hedge fund performance was again led by the HFRX Japan Index, which gained +6.3 percent in 2Q13, bringing YTD performance through June to +18.7 percent. The HFRX Asia Equally Weighted Index, which allocates pro-rata across developed, emerging and blended Asian exposures, posted a gain of +1.4 percent for 2Q and +9.9 percent YTD. The HFRX China Index posted a narrow decline of -0.46 percent for 2Q13, paring the YTD gain for HFRX China to +6.4 percent. China-focused hedge funds have successfully avoided steep equity market declines associated with slowing economic growth and concerns about banking risks, outperforming the decline of -12.8 percent of the Shanghai Composite Index by over 1900 basis points YTD.

Asian capital inflows were led by Equity Hedge strategies, which received a net $2.2 billion in investor allocations; these were complemented by $1.2 billion in performance-based gains. Asian-focused Event Driven and Relative Value Arbitrage funds experienced $390 million and $358 million in net inflows, respectively. Tracking the strong performance of Japanese equities, hedge funds focused on Japan received over $1.7 billion (¥ 171 Billion) in net new capital, bringing total Japan-focused hedge fund capital to $24.8 billion (¥ 2.4 Trillion), the highest level since 2Q08, prior to the Financial Crisis.

HFR also launched www.HedgeFundResearch.cn, HFR’s Chinese-language website, which includes general information on the Global and Asian hedge fund industry, over 100 HFR indices, including Asian & Emerging Markets indices, as well as global strategy indices, such as Equity Hedge, Event Driven (including Activist & Distressed), Macro (including CTA) and Relative Value Arbitrage Indices.

“Increased capital allocations to Asian hedge funds in the second quarter is another data point which underscores the significance of the Asian hedge fund industry to global investors, while the 2Q13 performance validates the strategic significance of hedged long/short exposures through what have become divergent equity markets of Developed and Emerging Asia,” stated Kenneth J. Heinz, President of HFR. “Asian hedge funds have effectively implemented sophisticated hedge fund strategies which reduce excessive return volatility and equity market beta while maintaining exposure to powerful secular growth trends. With various themes developing into 2H13, including continuation of Bank of Japan stimulus measures, convergent economic growth rates in Emerging Asia and systemic risk associated with off balance sheet liabilities of financial institutions, both Asian and global investors are likely to increase allocations to Asian hedge funds and benefit from these tactical performance dynamics.”

Press release

www.hedgefundresearch.com

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