Latest alternative investment news

Investors must shop around for the lowest cost ISA to prevent excessive charges taking a big bite out of their savings

SimplyStockbroking is urging investors to shop around for the lowest cost ISA to prevent excessive charges taking a big bite out of their savings in today’s low growth economy. SimplyStockbroking’s self select stocks and shares ISA levies no fixed annual management charges for the ISA wrapper. It charges investors just £8 per trade to buy and sell a wide range of investments in their ISAs inclu... [more]

Strong increase in inflation is a real blow to savers

The recent announcement by the Bank of England on the biggest increase in inflation since records began spells bad news for savers with only a handful of savings products now paying high enough interest to offset the effects of inflation. Basic rate tax payers will now need an account paying at least 3.63 per cent to gain benefit in real terms from their savings, increasing to 4.84 per cent for... [more]

Fantasy Trader gives investors an opportunity to trade on real stock markets

Halifax Share Dealing has launched Fantasy Trader that gives investors an opportunity to trade on real stock markets, with a virtual £10,000 through a practice share dealing account. Fantasy Trader gives customers a chance to experiment with new trading strategies to see how they could potentially boost their investment returns by diversifying their portfolio. It also gives them the opportunity... [more]

Online purchasing of art and antiques on the rise

The live online bidding site The-saleroom.com has recorded a 120 per cent year-on-year increase in bidder numbers in 2009, revealing growing buyer confidence in purchasing art and antiques online. In a year when recession and credit issues dominated the headlines, the-saleroom.com bucked the trend with revenues generated by the site increasing by 55 per cent year-on-year. The value of lots sol... [more]

British savers more likely to save money in the next 12 months

According to recent research by NS&I, the British population is increasingly confident about the ability to save more in the coming year. Perhaps encouraged by recent reports of a financial upturn, British savers are more confident in their outlook with over a quarter of the population (27%) saying they are more likely to save money in the next 12 months than they did last year. The NS&I figure... [more]

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Cowen Group Announces Organization Changes to Alternative Investment Management Business (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)

Cowen Group, Inc. today announced plans to streamline its Alternative Investment Management business through the integration of the senior management and certain aspects of the infrastructure of Ramius' Hedge Fund and Fund of Funds businesses. Â The Company noted that while some business infrastructure will be integrated, Ramius will continue to maintain a strict division between the respective ...

Tactico confirms investment In Omega ATS (Investment Executive)

Advisory firm Tactico Inc. has taken a 24% equity stake in Canadian alternative trading system, Omega ATS, the companies said Monday. The price of the deal was not disclosed.

Fidelis Energy Receives Major Investment Commitment and Project Backing (Marketwire)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA--(Marketwire - February 8, 2010) - Fidelis Energy Inc. ( PINKSHEETS : FDEI ) ("Fidelis" or the "Company") announced today that it received a multi-million dollar investment commitment from a private investment consortium to provide funding to the Company for its future growth and expansion. After completing several months of due diligence and negotiations, the investors ...

Great-West Offers New Guaranteed Income Investment Options for 401(k)s (Financial Planning.com)

Great West Retirement Services has introduced a new set of guaranteed income investment options, SecureFoundation. The products protect participants’ retirement income when the market drops, gives them some of the upside when the market rises, and guarantees retirement income for life.

Fidelis Energy Receives Major Investment Commitment and Project Backing (Marketwire via Yahoo! Finance)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA--(Marketwire - 02/08/10) - Fidelis Energy Inc. (Pinksheets: FDEI - News ) ("Fidelis" or the "Company") announced today that it received a multi-million dollar investment commitment from a private investment consortium to provide funding to the Company for its future growth and expansion. After completing several months of due diligence and negotiations, the investors approved ...

Gold Gains Most in a Week as Halt in Dollar Rally Spurs Demand (Bloomberg)

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Gold gained the most in a week as a halt in the dollar’s rally may increase demand for the metal as an alternative investment. The U.S. Dollar Index , a six-currency gauge of the greenback’s strength, fell as much as 0.4 percent after last week climbing to the highest level in almost seven months.

Cantor Fitzgerald Adds Investment Advisory Services To Its Growing Platform (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)

NEW YORK----Cantor Fitzgerald announced the creation of its new Investment and Advisory Business in Cantor’s Investment Capital Markets Group. Stephen Ardizzoni joins as Head of Cantor Investment Advisors.

Corn, Soybeans Jump Most This Year as Dollar Drops; Wheat Gains (Bloomberg)

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Corn and soybean prices rose the most this year and wheat gained as a drop in the dollar boosted the appeal of commodities as an alternative investment.

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Other alternative investment news

Eastday-Buyout fund gives CITIC US$925m to invest (Eastday.com)

CITIC Capital Holdings Ltd has raised US$925 million in its second China buyout fund to invest in mainly consumer and manufacturing sectors.

Dallas execs' Valeo Fund aims to invest in undervalued properties starting this year (Dallas Morning News)

Four of Dallas' top commercial real estate executives have set up a company to invest in undervalued properties.

Borisov: UK Fund to Invest BGN 100 M in Electric Car Plant in Bulgaria (Novinite.com)

A British investment fund is going to set up an electric car factory in Bulgaria’s Stara Zagora. This was announced by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who is on an official visit to the UK, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.

Chinese pension fund keen on India (Business Standard India)

Expressing hope that the Indo-China bilateral trade could surpass $60 billion in the next two years, the Chinese national pension fund chairman today said they are planning to invest a part of its over $100 billion funds in India.

Relative Value’s Fertig Digs Out Fund Discount to Beat S&P 500 (BusinessWeek)

The U.S. closed-end fund market is small, illiquid and dominated by individual investors as opposed to institutions, Maury Fertig says. That’s why he and fellow Salomon Brothers institutional bond sales veteran Bob Huffman focused on the area when they started Relative Value Partners LLC in 2004.

New bumi fund aspires to deliver 20pc returns (The Malaysian Insider)

By Lee Wei Lian PETALING JAYA, Feb 9 – The government-sponsored new RM10 billion bumiputera private equity fund Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (Ekuinas) has set a minimum investment return target of 12 per cent but aspires to deliver up to 20 per cent. Ekuinas is a government-linked private equity fund that was launched in September last year to promote sustainable bumiputera participation in the ...

New bumi fund aspires for 20pc returns (The Malaysian Insider)

By Lee Wei Lian PETALING JAYA, Feb 9 — The new government-sponsored RM10 billion bumiputera private equity fund Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (Ekuinas) has set a minimum investment return target of 12 per cent but aspires to deliver up to 20 per cent. Ekuinas is a government linked private equity fund that was launched in September last year to promote sustainable bumiputera participation in the ...

Birla Sun Life Front Line Equity Fund: Invest (The Hindu)

A long-term track record of good performance, proven ability to ride out corrections better than most peer funds and benchmark, and a focussed exposure to blue-chip equities makes Birla Sun Life Frontline Equity Fund an apt investment option.That the fund is among the select few funds to have bettered their respective benchmarks each year in the last five years also adds to its appeal.

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