Joy Dunbar, editor, Absolute UCITS
According to the Absolute UCITS new asset survey, 129 UCITS hedge funds were launched in 2010, with total assets under management of $9.5 billion. Already, in the first two months of 2011, around 30 more funds have been launched and there is growing optimism in the industry that indicates the number of new launches will exceed the 2010 figure during the course of this year.
At the end of 2010, the Absolute UCITS database held more than 600 funds and this figure will likely increase by a further 100 funds in the first half of 2011. Many funds are currently going through the regulatory hurdles as part of the full launching process.
These developments present a stark challenge to the predictions, previously held by many players in the investment fund industry,...