Sparx Flies As Leading Asian Hedge Fund

Asia is the fastest-growing area in hedge funds, andSparx Asset Managementhas been dubbed the largest Asian hedge fund with US$5.2 billion in assets under management, according to亚博赞助欧冠’sAlphamagazine. Fueling Sparx’s growth was its acquisition last month ofPMA Capital Management, the second-largest Asia-based HF with US$2 billion AUM. The runners-up areAsia Debt ManagementandWard Ferry Management(both with US$1.4 billion AUM) andPenta Investment Advisers(US$925 million). According toAlpha, all told the 25 largest HFs based in Asia managed a total of US$22.6 billion in single manager hedge funds, and that an estimated 70% of Asian hedge funds are in long-short strategies. Returns in the region have been robust, up 22.4% last year, compared with 6.5% for the Europe index and 4.9% forStandard & Poor’s 500index. Hedge funds in Japan, saysAlpha, have grown 12.6%, while the rest of Asia Pacific has grown 13.2%, compared with 7.8% in Europe and 9.5% in North America. Despite the growth, managers say Asia presents difficulties because of the various languages, currencies, laws, regulations and even investment attitudes in the various countries.
For more from this month'sAlphamagazine, go toDailyII.com.