Performance Report: Morgan Stanley FX Alpha Plus Fund (Class A)

29 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

In June, Morgan Stanley\\'s FX Alpha Plus Fund was up +2.24%, making profit from the Indonesian rupiah, Korean won, Taiwan dollar, Japanese Yen and Brazilian real.

29 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: Morgan Stanley FX Alpha Plus Fund (Class A)

By: Australian Fund Monitors

Report Date	28 July 2010
Manager	Morgan Stanley
Fund Name	Morgan Stanley FX Alpha Plus Fund (Class A)
Strategy	Currency/FX
Latest Return Date	June 2010
Latest Return	2.24%
Latest 6 Months	11.14%
Latest 12 Months	28.90%
Latest 24 Months	32.40%
Annualised Since Inception	9.74%
Inception Date	23 January 2008
FUM (millions)	AU$4
Fund Overview	The Manager's FX Alpha Risk Controlled strategy is a systematic currency selection process which employs computer modelling within a risk management framework and seeks to profit from changes in the relative valuations of currency pairs. Cash invested is put to work, earning the rate available on cash equivalent investments. At the same time, the Manager aims to achieve additional returns in a risk controlled manner from the currency forward market. The Fund makes allocations across currency pairs, primarily using currency forward contracts and potentially using other derivatives. The models used by the Manager consider interest rates, volatility, correlations and transaction costs to arrive at a portfolio allocation within the parameters of the specified risk and return targets of the Fund. Forward positions are rebalanced systematically based on quantitative model outputs. The models are designed to be sensitive to perceived increases in risk and aim to reduce exposures to those currencies where risks are perceived as increasing. The Manager also maintains a stop loss policy at the portfolio level. The intention of a stop loss policy is to limit the possibility of losses, however, Morgan Stanley does not guarantee that losses will be limited to a particular level. The FX Alpha Plus (Class A) Fund shares the same strategy and processes with the Morgan Stanley FX Alpha Fund. However the FX Alpha Plus Fund (class A) has a higher target volatility of approximately 10% achieved through the use of leverage.
Manager Comments	In June, Morgan Stanley's FX Alpha Plus Fund was up +2.24%, making profit from the Indonesian rupiah, Korean won, Taiwan dollar, Japanese Yen and Brazilian real. On the negative side were the Hungarian forint, Singapore dollar, Colombian peso, Russian ruble and Swiss franc. While investors continue to worry about euro zone problems the fund moved to significantly reduce its EUR short position while also reducing its long Russia position. Long positions were increased in Turkey, Indonesia and Philipinnes while a short position in Singapore was also increased.
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Performance Report: Fortitude Capital Absolute Return Trust

14 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

The bulk of the returns generated by Fortitude's Absolute Return Trust in June were from the yield portfolio, and most of this came from the redemption of the Hasting Funds Taps trust

Astarra Strategic director's litany of lies

14 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

There will be no doubt be more to come from the Trio Capital saga and the liquidator’s public examination of Shawn Richard, but how do you tell when he’s telling the truth?

Performance Report: Regal Tasman Market Neutral Fund

13 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

Profits on short positions helped Regal's Tasman Market Neutral Fund to achieve a +2.5% return in June.

HFA Asset Management rebrands to Certitude Global Investments

12 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

HFA Asset Management today announced that it will re-brand from August 1 to “Certitude Global Investments”

Performance Report: Bennelong Securities Long Short Equity Fund

9 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

Bennelong provided investors with another positive return, up 2.83% for the month, against the backdrop of a negative month for the ASX.

Performance Report: K2 Asian Absolute Return Fund

8 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

K2\\'s Asian Absolute Return was their best performing fund in June with exposure in most countries changed little.

8 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: K2 Asian Absolute Return Fund

By: Australian Fund Monitors

Report Date	07 July 2010
Manager	K2 Asset Management
Fund Name	K2 Asian Absolute Return Fund
Strategy	Equity Long/Short
Latest Return Date	June 2010
Latest Return	-0.50%
Latest 6 Months	-9.36%
Latest 12 Months	6.33%
Latest 24 Months	5.18%
Annualised Since Inception	12.12%
Inception Date	01 September 1999
FUM (millions)	AU$165
Fund Overview	The investment team does not use a single approach to stock picking, rather, each investment manager brings their own investment style and methodology to the portfolio. Key variables of earnings, valuation and management are examined to determine whether securities are over or undervalued. The investment team's ability to pick major investment themes, or 'catalysts', in a timely manner is a key competitive advantage. The stock selection process is based on the investment manager's own primary research, direct contact with companies and subscriptions to independent research houses. The Fund actively manages currency exposure with the aim of using hedging to reduce the risk of currency movement and protect stock returns. The level of hedging will depend on K2's expectation of future currency exchange rate movements.
Manager Comments	K2's Asian Absolute Return was their best performing fund in June with exposure in most countries changed little. Further positions in banking and property increased the fund's exposure to Singapore (+3.1%), while exposure to Thailand (-2.8%), Korea (-2.0%), and Hong Kong (-1.9%) was reduced. While growth rates are holding up in most countries in the area, the manager is concerned about how much impact the rate of growth in developed countries will have in Asia. It is likely that K2 will maintain exposure at or below current levels over the next month, but as valuations are now providing some support any exposure reduction is likely to be small.
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Performance Report: MM&E Takeover Target Fund

8 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

MM&E's Takeover Target Fund result for June of +0.8% was helped by the trimming of some positions in resource stocks as well as exposure to strong performers such as Perseus Mining, GPT and Coca-Cola Amatil.

Ascalon buys 30% stake in Regal Funds Management

8 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

Regal Funds Management, the Sydney-based alternative equity and hedge fund manager with approximately $350 million under management has sold a 30% stake in the business to Ascalon for an undisclosed sum.

Performance Report: Optimal Australia Absolute Trust

8 Jul 2010 - Australian Fund Monitors

Optimal's Australia Absolute Trust benefitted from its decision to increase equity exposure through late May, then realising late in June that it was time to to take profits on the long positions while increasing shorts.

8 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: Optimal Australia Absolute Trust

By: Australian Fund Monitors

Report Date	07 July 2010
Manager	Optimal Fund Management
Fund Name	Optimal Australia Absolute Trust
Strategy	Equity Long/Short
Latest Return Date	June 2010
Latest Return	0.60%
Latest 6 Months	4.06%
Latest 12 Months	18.85%
Latest 24 Months
Annualised Since Inception	17.99%
Inception Date	15 September 2008
FUM (millions)	AU$42
Fund Overview	The investment objective of the Fund is to seek to achieve above average returns in absolute terms, through investing in listed securities in Australia and New Zealand, subject to the overarching requirement of capital preservation. Investments will predominantly be in equity securities but may include fixed interest instruments, money market instruments, derivatives and foreign exchange contracts. The Fund's bias is likely to be net long under normal market conditions, with the core strategy being to construct a portfolio of listed equity securities priced at levels that do not adequately reflect their underlying value. The Fund will seek to boost returns and limit potential market downside by selective short selling of individual stocks which are priced at levels that are viewed as materially above their underlying value. The Fund will also use certain trading strategies both within its core portfolio (through rebalancing stock weights and overall market exposure in response to price movements) and in certain other situations (typically of a shorter-duration and/or opportunistic nature) with the objective of further increasing returns.
Manager Comments	Optimal's Australia Absolute Trust benefitted from its decision to increase equity exposure through late May, then realising late in June that it was time to to take profits on the long positions while increasing shorts. The main contributors were long positions in resources and healthcare, along with short positions in banks, building materials, retail, REIT's and Index Futures. Having a negative impact on the fund's result were long positions in energy, media and gaming.
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Fund Monitors Pty Ltd

News

29 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: Morgan Stanley FX Alpha Plus Fund (Class A)

14 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: Fortitude Capital Absolute Return Trust

14 Jul 2010 - Astarra Strategic director's litany of lies

13 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: Regal Tasman Market Neutral Fund

12 Jul 2010 - HFA Asset Management rebrands to Certitude Global Investments

9 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: Bennelong Securities Long Short Equity Fund

8 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: K2 Asian Absolute Return Fund

8 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: MM&E Takeover Target Fund

8 Jul 2010 - Ascalon buys 30% stake in Regal Funds Management

8 Jul 2010 - Performance Report: Optimal Australia Absolute Trust

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