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Dear readers,

January is very often the occasion to be positive and imagine "la vie en rose"!

At the occasion of the publication of its UCITS Alternative Inxex (UAI)' awards, our main contributor, the research firm Alix Capital, summarizes well the mood of the day:

« 2013 marks another strong year for UCITS absolute return funds with total assets under management increasing by 34% to reach EUR 190 billion at the end of December. Investors are more and more appealed by the attractive risk return profile and strong regulatory oversight characterizing these funds. The strong performance of the 2013 UCITS Alternative Index (UAI) Award winners is an additional sign showing that the scale and quality of the funds in this universe is also improving."

Alix Capital analyses its latest market statistics and we have asked the top platforms to give us feedback on their main achievements in 2013 and how they see their activity evolving. With the current appetite for sourcing new Macro managers, we have selected and interviewed 3 managers that we find smart, innovative and robust. Global Macro is not an easy strategy to invest in; timing of investment is always an issue.

You will also find in this edition, our traditional league table, as an opportunity for investors to follow the evolution of the offering of the main UCITS platforms. Our legal brief covers EMIR with the deadline of reporting approaching.

We hope that you will enjoy this edition!
Don't forget to spread the word and forward the newsletter to your contacts.
As always, we enjoy your comments and suggestions!

Wishing you a good start of the year!

Sophie van Straelen
Editor
Sophie@opalesque.com

Sophie

About your editor: Sophie van Straelen and Asterias Ltd: Sophie van Straelen started her professional career in investment banking spanning derivative markets and hedge funds. Her 12 year experience in investment banking provided a strong base to found Asterias Ltd, the consultancy located in London, specialised in delivering strategic insight in distribution for service providers and hedge fund managers. Listed in 2009 by EFinancial News as one of the top 100 most influential women in finance in Europe, she is a recognized, valuable and independent source of analysis for the media, lobbying groups and investors.