LONDON (Reuters) – Hedge funds racked up further gains in August, helped by rising stock markets, low volatility and the relative absence of major political shocks in the euro zone, whose debt crisis has proved so hard to handle for managers in recent years.

The SS&C GlobeOp Hedge Fund Performance Index, which tracks the performance of the majority of hedge fund services provider GlobeOp’s $187 billion in assets administered, rose 0.83 percent in August, taking returns so far this year to 6.76 percent, the firm said in a statement.

LONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) – Hedge funds racked up further
gains in August, helped by rising stock markets, low volatility
and the relative absence of major political shocks in the euro
zone, whose debt crisis has proved so hard to handle for
managers in recent years.

The SS&C GlobeOp Hedge Fund Performance Index, which tracks
the performance of the majority of hedge fund services provider
GlobeOp’s $187 billion in assets administered, rose 0.83 percent
in August, taking returns so far this year to 6.76 percent, the
firm said in a statement.

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) – Man Group has hired
Pimco’s former global head of portfolio management Sudi
Mariappa, as the embattled hedge fund firm looks to revive its
fortunes and win back clients with a major push into bond funds.

Mariappa, who was at Pimco, the world’s largest bond fund
manager, from 2000 to 2010 and who worked with high-profile
founder Bill Gross on its hedge funds, will head up the launch
of a series of bond funds at Man’s manager-driven GLG unit.

LONDON (Reuters) – Man is overriding machine in the computer hedge fund industry, with some managers no longer ready to accept “black box” trading strategies blindly as government bond yields in the likes of the United States and Germany hit ultra low levels.

Man Group’s AHL, one of the world’s biggest funds, has built a new computer model to cap its exposure to bond futures for fear of big losses, should the market reverse abruptly, and others are likely to follow.

LONDON (Reuters) – Trading oil, the euro and shares in Facebook (FB.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) were among the bets to help drive gains for hedge funds in July, meaning the industry has largely shrugged off the euro zone debt crisis to make money every month so far this year.

The SS&C GlobeOp Hedge Fund Performance Index, which tracks the performance of the majority of hedge fund services provider GlobeOp’s $187 billion (119 billion pounds)in assets administered, rose 1.42 percent in July, taking returns so far this year to 5.74 percent, the firm said in a statement.

LONDON, July 30 (Reuters) – Major banks face growing
pressure to extract more money from, or even sever ties with,
unprofitable hedge fund clients as they cut costs in the face of
tough trading conditions and try to refocus on the biggest
managers.

Industry insiders say prime brokers – which provide services
such as stock lending and financing for hedge funds – are
sifting through their client lists, in some cases demanding
higher fees on trading or a greater share of a fund’s business,
and sometimes telling funds to look elsewhere.

LONDON (Reuters) – Beleaguered hedge fund manager Man Group is staging a fresh assault on its costs in the first moves under new finance director Jonathan Sorrell to stem sliding sales and margins and an exodus by clients.

The fund firm, whose share price has slumped by more than three-quarters since the start of 2011 on the back of outflows, said on Tuesday it would make $100 million (64.4 million pounds) of annual savings over the next 18 months, after calls from some analysts to cut deeper or faster.

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) – Hedge fund manager Man Group
unveiled another round of cost cuts aimed at propping up
its weakened revenues on Tuesday, as its fight to staunch rising
client outflows and falling assets continued.

The fund firm, whose share price has slumped by more than
three-quarters since the start of 2011, announced plans to make
another $100 million of cost savings over the next 18 months,
following calls from some analysts for deeper cuts to offset
falling fee income.

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) – A recent uptick in the
performance of its flagship AHL fund may not be enough of a cure
for hedge fund manager Man Group after a sharp fall in
assets, analysts said.

The firm, whose shares have lost more than three quarters of
their value since the start of last year as clients withdraw
funds, is set to report interim results for the six months to
the end of June on Tuesday.

LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) – With politicians struggling to
shore up plans to tackle Europe’s debt crisis, hedge fund
managers are finding it hard to come up with moneymaking ideas
to suit markets focused on the latest announcement by euro zone
or U.S. leaders.

Once seen as able to make money in all conditions, many
hedge funds have opted to keep their bets small and their
exposure to movements low as quieter summer trading looms,
mindful of last August’s stock market meltdown.