Stocks & Mutual Funds

Articles and Information about Stocks and Mutual Funds

NetFinancial | Institutions | Loans
Colleges and Universities | Search Engines

The Problem With Hedge Funds


Are hedge funds a suitable investment for you? Hedge funds are an appropriate investment for qualified purchasers with a net worth above one million dollars and an annual income exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Purchasers are often required to sign an acknowledgement confirming their qualifications to invest in hedge funds. However, just because one is qualified to invest in a hedge fund doesn't necessarily mean they should do so. There is a major problem with this type of investment. Oftentimes, the risk associated with the fund is misrepresented, leading to investors being misguided into skewing their qualifications.

The term "hedge fund" is a generic term used to describe many unique investments. Put simply, the phrase is derived from the purpose - hedging the risk of investing. Hedge funds provide lower long-term returns in exchange for less volatility. The form of investment is not new, but their popularity certainly is. The newfound popularity of hedge funds has left many investors wondering what they are all about.

To shed a little light on a decidedly illusive investment tool, a quick run down is necessary. A hedge fund is typically a privately organized pooled investment fund, predominately invested in publicly traded securities. They are normally created as limited partnerships, consisting of one general partner and up to one hundred limited partners. The general partner usually receives a management fee and 10-20% of the profits from the fund. The success or failure of a hedge fund is often dependant on the competency of the fund manager, since they are more aggressively managed and traded than traditional mutual funds.

It should be noted that hedge funds have a higher failure rate than traditional funds. Numerous hedge funds fail by the second or third year of operation. Also, hedge funds are less transparent than traditional funds because some hedge fund managers do not reveal the securities they hold, or the extent to which they are leveraged. Hedge funds may have a higher turnover rate and be less tax efficient than traditional funds.

Along with the aforementioned downfalls associated with hedge funds, several more negatives should be noted. The management and performance incentive fees charged by the hedge fund manager, together with the trading costs and administrative fees can quickly add up, making B share mutual funds seem like a bargain. As stated earlier, only "qualified" purchasers are eligible to invest in hedge funds, leaving many would-be investors out in the cold. And liquidity, if available, is limited to quarterly release, and even then, investors are left at the mercy of the hedge fund manager.

The bottom line is, when dealing with hedge funds, get educated about your investment before jumping in. Discuss the option, both pros and cons, with your dealer, and know what you are getting into.

For more information on hedge funds and hedge fund attorneys, please click here.


MORE RESOURCES:

Here are a dozen ways to get a down payment
Seattle Post Intelligencer - 2 hours ago
Liquidate stocks, mutual funds, savings bonds or other investments. Take a loan from your 401(k) retirement plan and repay yourself with interest. ...


Technical Outlook: Consider This TIP
TheStreet.com - 13 hours ago
The key is to do your research and look for stocks, mutual funds or ETFs in the top-performing sectors of the market and then diversify your holdings among ...


New boutique launches in Sweden: Friday's funds news in Europe.
CityWire.co.uk, UK - 14 hours ago
The company offers management and trading in stocks, mutual funds and fixed income, E24 reports. The best hedge funds registered for sale in Sweden for the ...


Better Living Through Cheating
Motley Fool - Jun 9, 2008
By Shannon Zimmerman June 9, 2008 Comments (0) "No pain, no gain" is my least favorite truism, particularly when it comes to investing. ...


Bond, mortgage insurers mixed after Russell move
Forbes, NY - Jun 30, 2008
That index is then broken down into 26 smaller indexes, including the widely watched Russell 1000 index of large-capitalization stocks. Mutual funds and ...


Financial intelligence makes you wealthy
Hindu, India - Jun 28, 2008
“It is not the real estate, stocks, mutual funds, businesses, or money that makes a person rich. It is information, knowledge, wisdom, and know-how, ...


Morningstar, Inc. to Announce Second-Quarter 2008 Financial ...
Trading Markets (press release), CA - Jun 30, 2008
Morningstar provides data on more than 270000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles. The company has operations in 18 ...


China Bulls Get Shanghaied
Forbes, NY - Jun 27, 2008
It's also likely to hurt thousands of Americans who loaded up on Chinese stocks, mutual funds and ETFs right near the market's top. ...


Gold: The Silver Lining of the Investment World!
Myiris.com, India - Jun 30, 2008
Gold mining stocks/mutual funds have evoked the fancy of investors, as compared to gold. For instance, an index of gold miners has moved up 6.5 times since ...


See what's NEW! on Omaha.com
Omaha World-Herald (subscription), NE - Jun 27, 2008
And you'll still be able to check stocks, mutual funds, market indexes and financial news, and set up a personal portfolio to follow your investments. ...

Stocks-Mutual-Funds - Google News

Currency Trading | Investing | Leadership | Negoatiation | Real Estate | Stocks and Mutual Funds | Taxes
home | NetFinancial | Institutions | Loans | Colleges and Universities | site map
Search Engines | EZmatic | 0pops | GetSonic | TrafficFish | Health
© 2006