LONDON, August 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Blackstone Group, along with partners Fidelity Investments, aim to expand their reach to retail clients and rid the hedge fund market of its perceived exclusivity with the launch of Blackstone's Alternative Multi-Manager Fund.
The new mutual fund of hedge funds was launched last month and consists of various sub-advisors, including HealthCor Management, Two Sigma Advisors, Good Hill Partners, Nephila Capital, Wellington Management, Chatham Asset Management and Caspian Capital, with Fidelity's Portfolio Advisory Service (PSA) - which consists of funds with a minimum value of $50,000 - having invested near $1bn in the fund thus far. The fund, managed by Blackstone's hedge fund team, will have a net expense ratio of 2.40 percent - more than double the cost of a traditional mutual fund.
Despite the high costs, the Alternative Multi-Manager Fund allows retail clients access to hedge fund components usually restricted to financial experts, such as troubled debt, commodity speculation and shorting stocks.
Findings by Barrons and Morningstar released in June indicate that more investors are directing their attentions towards alternative mutual funds. Of the 235 institutions included in the survey, 45 percent were accessing long-short strategies through mutual funds, up from 38 percent in 2010, whereas 28 percent used hedge funds for the same strategies, far short of 61 percent in 2010.
Blackstone's Tom Hill said in a statement: "When pioneering a unique investment solution, it is essential to have confidence in the firms with which you create an alliance. In the three years we have been planning for this product launch, we have built a very solid relationship with Fidelity.
"Like Blackstone, Fidelity is a leader in the asset management industry and has a history of providing great value to its clients by combining innovative products and expertise to help investors meet their goals. Given the complexities associated with bridging the gap between mutual fund regulations and hedge fund strategies, we are very happy with the Fidelity relationship."
News of Blackstone's new fund coincides with World Finance's prestigious Hedge Fund Awards, which offer an opportunity for the public to have a say in naming this year's best funds.
http://www.worldfinance.com/awards/hedge-fund-awards
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