Finding the Needle in the Haystack

Hedge fund managers are a rare breed – they zig when the markets zag; they go long when the rest of the market goes short – they find the diamonds in the rough when others just see dirt. However, what really sets them apart is that sometimes the opportunities are staring investors, regardless of their expertise, right in the face and they see it, while others do not. Marc Lasry of Avenue Capital has been looking at the Euro Zone and seems to like what he sees. Both, he and Richard Furst, a senior portfolio manager at Avenue, have done the work and believe that the continued uncertainty in Europe provides them with a unique opportunity to make money for their investors. Read the story in Monday’s New York Times here. Clock in Trafalgar...

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It’s the Volatility and Uncertainty

Volatility here, volatility there, no returns anywhere. That seems to be the rallying cry from the media these days and how hedge funds are performing amongst all of the current and potential economic uncertainty. Its seems from recent reports in the popular press that Mr. Buffett was correct when he said, “it is only when the tide goes out do you see who is swimming naked.”  (Photo: Wikipedia) Earlier this week, Reuters posted and article quoting a manager saying that there was too much political and economic uncertainty for them to do much of anything other than operate in a mode of capital preservation. Read the story here. If the political and economic uncertainty wasn’t enough, the news last week about the fraud at Peregrine...

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Fifty Shades of Ag Investing

Agriculture as an asset class has gained major traction with investors of shapes and sizes in the last few years. Institutional investors’ allocations to agriculture are expected to grow from 1% of portfolios to 5% in the next five years according to industry estimates. That increase in investment is sorely needed. According to UN estimates, by 2030, the world will need at least 50% more food, 45% more energy and 30% more water. In short, the population of the planet is growing faster than its food and water supply. To learn more about the coming shortage click here. (Photo: thegreenpages) The metrics alone are cause for urgency, and our research shows that investors are paying attention. But with so many entry points into agriculture...

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