Hedge Funds: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Alfred Winslow Jones started hedge funds in 1949. He was a pioneer of non-traditional investment strategies. "Non-traditional" categorizes hedge funds quite accurately. Hedge funds have the potential to make an investor quite a bit of money, but many do not understand the nature of hedge funds. Hedge funds have undergone skepticism because they do not have to disclose their activities to third parties.

Hedge funds can be quite profitable if an investor uses the best techniques. One technique is risk arbitrage. Basically, buying stocks in a company that is in the process of a merger and acquisition. Companies announce a specific price the day of the merger, so if the stock is under the stated value before the day of the merger, it is a relatively safe plan to buy and wait. This does pose some risk, because some mergers do not go through.

Hedge funds are very secretive and do not have to disclose their activities to third parties. This allows hedge funds to be free from the regulations that mutual funds have to adhere to. This can be considered as beneficial because fund managers will perform better because they see a direct profit from the success of the fund. In mutual funds, this is not so. Also, large companies can move undisclosed amounts of money and gain significantly without authorities noticing. Actual numbers are not known, but HFR (hfr.com) reported that at the end of the second quarter in 2003, there were 5660 hedge funds managing $665 billion dollars around the world. The sheer magnitude of this number is shocking, but demonstrates the massive profits that can be made from successful hedge fund strategy. Unfortunately for secretive businesses that enjoy the secrecy of hedge funds, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is attempting to successfully implement the requirement that hedge funds be registered with the SEC. If this continues and is successfully implemented, then all of the advantages to secrecy will be lost.

One negative aspect of the non-regulation of hedge funds is the fact that there are no official hedge fund statistics. Most hedge fund holders are large companies and so little is knows about their financial movements. Hedge funds are based in offshore jurisdictions, making them seem even more suspicious. Unlike mutual funds that have a base in large cities like New York, Hedge Funds are based in places like Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and the Virgin Islands. It may seem strange to call your fund manager in Bermuda rather than to call someone in New York City.

Another negative aspect of hedge funds is their high price tag. Hedge funds seem to be more suited for large businesses and companies that are merging than they are suited for the average worker. Hedge funds usually require an extravagant amount of money for initial purchase. If someone does have the money, however, they can gain even more money with this sometimes high-risk venture.

Hedge funds have the potential to help an investor gain quite a bit of money. However, hedge funds undergo a great amount of scrutiny because of the lack of regulations and the general secrecy surrounding hedge funds. Hedge funds are based offshore and have been rumored to hold as much as $665 billion. Some reports even state that at one point, 39 firms were managing hedge funds worth $1.1 trillion. These startling numbers show that hedge funds can be quite lucrative.

Jenny Delinga is very interested in hedge funds. You can find out more about hedge funds at Hedge Fund Reader ( http://www.hedgefundreader.com ).

car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.
Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.
WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds
Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.
A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.
A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.
Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.
Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.
Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.
New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.
Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.
iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.
A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.
Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.

Stops Make Money

During the day I watch CNBC-TV, the stock market channel.... Read More

Its Better

Question: How does it get better when it gets worse?Last... Read More

Value Investing: Selecting From The Bargain Bin

Picking a beaten-down stock requires a different kind of selection... Read More

So, What is This Stock Market Thing Anyway?

We've all heard of the stock market and probably have... Read More

Enronization

Even if you don't own any of their stock or... Read More

Trade Stocks for Real

I read a comment by a forum member on another... Read More

Starbucks Stock is Up

Starbucks earnings are up again and so is their stock... Read More

The Great Stock Market Secret

When the stock market is going up and all your... Read More

The 401(K): How The Insider Has Stolen Your Retirement!

Mutual funds were moderately successful in creating a presence in... Read More

Stock Loans

Hedge current portfolio positions and gain access to capital resources... Read More

Its A Duck

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... Read More

Dont Buy Worldcom! A Guide to Wise Bottom Fishing

Over the past few months, several investment professionals have brought... Read More

How To Beat The Mutual Fund Companies At Their Own Game

You'd have had to be living on a desert island... Read More

Mid-Cap Stocks: Asset Class with an Identity Crisis

Much like the middle child, mid-cap stocks have long struggled... Read More

Inertia Syndrome

When it comes to buying a stock or mutual fund... Read More

Losses, not Profits, will Stop You from Trading in the Market

Should the market turn against you, it is important that... Read More

Is Your Garage Full Of Junk?

I have a 2-car garage. There are nice shelves on... Read More

China Syndrome

There has been great condemnation recently because China has been... Read More

Roller Coaster

I love roller coasters. The steeper the better. High and... Read More

Stock Trading - Daddy, Why Arent We Rich?

One Saturday morning, while he was sitting at his computer... Read More

Emotional Involvement

I'll bet with almost anyone that has stocks or mutual... Read More

How Much Information Do You Need?

You have decided to buy some stock or mutual funds,... Read More

Exchange Traded Funds Primer

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are a group of passive index... Read More

Hedge Fund Advertising

Have you seen all those big full page ads for... Read More

Emotional Maturity

If you are going to be a winner in the... Read More

Granger limo Chicago ..