Portfolio

UBS is reportedly considering selling its hedge fund unit to management, according to a Swiss newspaper, Neue Zuercher Zeitung, and analysts believe the unit, which has $39 billion in assets under management, could fetch $1 billion.

Hedge fund investors redeemed $103 billion in the first quarter, with $85 billion of that coming out of hedge funds-of-funds, according to Hedge Fund Research, leaving remaining assets of about $1.3 trillion.

Americans are growing increasingly worried about having enough money for retirement, but that fear is turning to paralysis, as fewer investors make changes to stem future losses, a new study found.

Recognizing the need for asset management executives to receive timely insights from financial intermediaries on changing investor tastes, kasina and Hoursesmouth have launched Advisor Vision. Through surveys conducted among Horsesmouth’s 70,000 members, the service provides insight into advisers’ behaviors, preferences for working with asset managers and opinions on specific firms and investment choices.

Actively managed funds continued to drastically trail three Standard & Poor’s indexes over the past five years ended Dec. 31, 2008.

Suspending 401(k) matches for just one year can save most companies millions of dollars a year, but doing so can severely negatively impact participants' savings rates and long-term retirement outlook, and should be avoided, according to Hewitt Associates.

Putnam Names Donovan Chief Investment Officer

Fidelity May Cut Bonuses, Merit Pay as Profits Fall

The best way to get investors the lowest 401(k) fees possible is to automatically enroll as many of them as possible into big plans with high contribution rates, according to a study released last week on the economics of 401(k) and defined contribution retirement plans by Deloitte and the Investment Company Institute.

Whether driven by the demands of potential or existing investors, regulators or a new strategic direction, hedge fund and private equity firms are moving beyond their historically entrepreneurial outlooks to enhance their operational risk management, financial controls (SOX and SAS 70) and internal audit.