Introducing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) -- a quantitative approach to assess the performance of hedge funds, funds of hedge funds, and commmodity trading advisors. Steep yourself in this approach with this important new book by Greg Gregoriou and Joe Zhu. "This book steps beyond the traditional trade-off between single variables for risk and return in the determination of investment portfolios. For the first time, a comprehensive procedure is presented to compose portfolios using multiple measures of risk and return simultaneously. This approach represents a watershed in portfolio construction techniques and is especially useful for hedge fund and CTA offerings." -- Richard E. Oberuc, CEO, Burlington Hall Asset Management, Inc. Chairman, Foundation for Managed Derivatives Research Order your copy today!

A detailed, step-by-step book covering the entire hedge fund evaluation process Investing in hedge funds is different from investing in other asset classes. There is much less publicly available information about hedge funds performance than there is about mutual funds or individual stocks. Consequently, investing in this class requires more sophisticated investment knowledge, greater due diligence, and, in many cases, a better-developed ability to evaluate investment managers. Hedge Fund Analysis provides a broad framework of how to approach this endeavor, from initial screening to analytical techniques, interviewing skills, and legal and contract negotiations. Along the way, it demonstrates a variety of mechanisms for monitoring and tracking hedge funds and the underlying hedge fund portfolios—explaining each stage of the process in minute detail and providing specific examples which fully explain the opportunities and challenges you'll face each step of the way. Provides a detailed look at how to source hedge funds, screen through them, and rank their strengths and weaknesses Lays out a thorough process for evaluating funds, from initial interviews to performance analysis to onsite meetings Reveals what questions to ask by strategy in order to understand the underlying risk factors associated with each Highlights non-investment analysis, including operational due diligence and risk management, as integral elements in the process Written by a financial professional with over twenty years of experience conducting investment manager due diligence, this book will put you in a position to make more informed decisions when investing in hedge funds.

The World of Hedge Funds is a compendium of distinguished papers focusing on the cutting-edge analysis of hedge funds. This area is arguably the fastest growing source of funds in the investment management arena. It represents an exciting opportunity for the investor and manager in terms of the range of return and risk available. A source of rigorous analysis is therefore both sought after as well as needed. This book aims to fill this gap by presenting an eclectic collection of papers contributed by influential academics and practitioners covering the characteristics and problems of hedge funds.

This 2nd revised edition includes expanded introductory information, plus new chapters covering hedge funds and emerging markets, convertible arbitrage, opportunistic investing, investors' strategies, opportunities and pitfalls, risk control techniques and the impact of investment technology.

Hedge funds are perhaps the hottest topic in finance today, but little material of substance to date has been written on the topic. Most books focus on how to set up a hedge fund and the basic strategies, while few to none focus on what matters most: generating and understanding investment performance. This book takes an exclusive look at the latter, including an analysis of the areas that are most likely to generate strong investment returns OCo namely, the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China. The book will be invaluable to not only financial professionals, but anyone interested in learning about hedge funds and their future.

Whether already experienced with hedge funds or just thinking about investing in them, readers need a firm understanding of this unique investment vehicle in order to achieve maximum success. Hedge Funds unites over thirty of the top practitioners and academics in the hedge fund industry to provide readers with the latest findings in this field. Their analysis deals with a variety of topics, from new methods of performance evaluation to portfolio allocation and risk/return matters. Although some of the information is technical in nature, an understanding and applicability of the results as well as theoretical developments are stressed. Filled with in-depth insight and expert advice, Hedge Funds helps readers make the most of this flexible investment vehicle.

This paper provides a review of the methods for measuring portfolio performance and the evidence on the performance of professionally managed investment portfolios. Traditional performance measures, strongly influenced by the Capital Asset Pricing Model of Sharpe (1964), were developed prior to 1990. We discuss some of the properties and important problems associated with these measures. We then review the more recent Conditional Performance Evaluation techniques, designed to allow for expected returns and risks that may vary over time, and thus addressing one major shortcoming of the traditional measures. We also discuss weight-based performance measures and the stochastic discount factor approach. We review the evidence that these newer measures have produced on selectivity and market timing ability for professional managed investment funds. The evidence includes equity style mutual funds, pension funds, asset allocation style funds, fixed income funds and hedge funds.

Hedge Fund Governance: Evaluating Oversight, Independence and Conflicts summarizes the fundamental elements of hedge fund governance and principal perspectives on governance arguments. An authoritative reference on governance, it describes the tools needed for developing a flexible, comprehensive hedge fund governance analysis framework. Case studies and interviews with professional fund directors shine a bright light of pragmatism on this framework. The author's global analysis of more than 5,000 hedge fund governance structures enables him to draw realistic conclusions about best practices. He also explores the value consequences of good vs. bad governance, estimating the actual dollar losses that can result from bad governance, as well as the operational and investment performance benefits of certain governance practices. - Presents methods for evaluating qualifications, conflicts of interests, fees, obligations and liabilities of hedge fund Boards of Directors - Explains techniques for developing a hedge fund governance assessment program, including analyzing legal documentation analysis and financial statements for governance related information - Uses case studies and example scenarios in hedge fund governance successes and failures to explore investor governance rights and fund manager responsibilities in onshore and offshore jurisdictions

A comprehensive look at hedge fund performance issues In Evaluating Hedge Fund Performance, Dr. Vinh Tran gives readers the information they need to construct an efficient hedge fund portfolio based on their own level of knowledge. From evaluating hedge funds to picking the winners, Dr. Tran covers some of the most important issues related to this flexible investment vehicle. Evaluating Hedge Fund Performance takes the standard hedge fund book to a new level by detailing how to manage the risk of hedge funds and offering the best methods to evaluate and monitor hedge funds. With strategy based on interviews and data from experts in the field, this book is a must-read for any investor or manager who is investing in hedge funds.

Contains incisive articles dealing with quantitative and qualitative analyses of hedge funds.