Latest report from McKinsey “ The New Power Brokers: How Oil, Asia, Hedge Funds, and Private Equity - Are Shaping Global Capital Markets”, presents interesting insights into future of capital markets and also changes in source of capital, intermediaries
and users of capital.
According to the report, hedge fund assets under management have tripled since 2000, reaching an estimated $1.7 trillion by mid-2007 on the back of record inflows and high returns. Including leverage used to boost returns, the industry's assets are as much
as $6 trillion. By 2012 hedge fund assets under management are expected to reach $3.5 trillion, with leverage assets it can reach any where between $9 to $12 trillion.
When the hedge fund industry is expecting phenomenal growth like this, it is the right time that IOSCO finalized principles for the valuation of hedge funds. This should go a long way to address some of the crucial issues faced by the industry.