Hedge Crunch Financial

The latest hedge fund news shows that Lumix Capital AG is planning to launch an agricultural hedge fund during this quarter. Since June of 2008 the Lumix AgroDirect Fund has been incubated.  They invest in the production of soft commodities in four countries – Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.

As Lumix’s managing partner, Gonzalo Fernandez Castro explained to FINalternatives, “Farming is very volatile when you talk about one plot of land. If you have 1,000 plots of land in different areas, the volatility is very much reduced.”

So far, the firm has raised $20 million US dollars of capital from both partners and seed investors.  It targets to raise $100 million for its first offering.

This is one example of interesting new hedge fund news like the news that frequently comes from companies such as the NIR Group with Corey Ribotsky and many other locations.

Back in 2006 the largest of the United States- based hedge funds’ combined assets reached the magic one trillion dollar mark. As of January 1st, 2007, the total assets held by 241 firms, each one managing at least $1 billion, were responsible for a combined asset value of $1,200 billion, or 1.2 trillion dollars.

Among those 241 funds, according to the bi-annual survey of hedge fund performance done by Absolute Return, an industry publication, the NIR Group of Roslyn, New York, showed the largest increase in asset value in terms of raw percentages, a 789% increase.

Corey Ribotsky, the managing member of the NIR Group, launched a credit opportunities fund in 2005 which went from a value of $407 million to $3.62 billion in just one year.

Habitat for Humanity sees as its mission bringing the dream of home ownership into the reality of hard-working families who otherwise would not be able to afford it. The New York City branch of Habitat for Humanity purchases vacant lots  for $1 from the city, and then develops them with monies which are raised in a large variety of ways, including through loans, foundation grants, state funds, sales revenues and fund-raising.

As the number of possible sites available for development decreases while the cost of their development skyrockets, Habitat for Humanity decided to enlist the help of the private sector in order to acquire a portion of the needed funding.

For the first time since its establishment in New York in 1984 Habitat is enlisting the help of a well-placed sector in the New York economic and financial world, and that is through hedge fund managers. A few years ago real estate agents helped in the effort, raising over $100,000 towards Habitat’s latest project, the Atlantic Avenue condominium development which includes 41 affordable condo units in the Ocean Hill-Brownsville section of Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Borough president’s office has also contributed to this undertaking, along with Corey Ribotsky of the NIR Group, LaCrosse Global Fund Services,  PNC Multifamily Capital and a long list of other private sector supporters that believe that “investing in human capital contributes to the success of the hedge fund industry, and New York City.”

There are two approaches to investing in the “Green Sector”, industries and products which focus on renewable resources and other sustainable innovations. According to Corey Ribotsky of the NIR Group, you either have to be “green focused,” meaning that you just pick and choose green technology, whether it is hardware or software, or you have to look at “green infrastructure” meaning that you are investing in the actual products and/or services themselves. This can include a huge variety of industries worth investing in, including energy to cars, to “almost anything under the sun.”

Ribotsky explains that he has seen many types of investing styles, from investors with a large number of different transactions as well as investors with quite a lot of different focuses. Many of these deals that he has seen are from other investment banks or other private equity investment firms. These deals are happening with a lot of partnerships. According to Ribotsky, one of the greatest benefits that has come from this market is the co-generation of ideas.
What we are anxiously awaiting is the moment when the inevitable new influx of innovative and revolutionary technologies and services emerge so that we can be a part of it.

Optimism has taken hold of hedge fund managers lately as the major indexes, such as the Eurekahedge Fund Index and MSCI World Index show gains in the month of July. This month’s gain continues a 5 month upward trend for hedge fund managers.

According to the Eurekhedge Index, July posted a 2.1 percent gain, while the MSCI showed a remarkable 8.4% rise. The year to date improvement comes to 12 percent for the Eurekahedge and 14 percent for MSCI.

Hedge fund managers are feeling relief to finally be leaving the difficult times of the 2008 financial markets. They are hopeful that the rest of 2009 will leave the recession behind in the dust bowl of history. Many analysts view 2008 as the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of late 1929 and the 30’s.

We expect some of the hedge fund managers we have been covering to react to the hopeful news, and we will keep you posted as to what Gregg Hymowitz of EnTrust Capital and Corey Ribotsky of NIR Group have to say about the current economic trend.

The NIR Group, headquartered in Roslyn, New York has recently announced the opening of a new office in Singapore. The appointed head of the office in Singapore, Shoham Cohen, will identify new opportunities for investments throughout Asia, including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Mr. Cohen will be looking for investment partners and creating strategies for investments in the huge Asian market.

Under the direct guidance of Corey Ribotsky, Managing Member of the NIR Group, Mr. Cohen comes to the alternative investment firm with over eight years of experience investing in the Asian sector. According to Mr. Cohen “There are a large number of opportunities to copy what the NIR Grop as successfully accomplished in the United States. The investment community is constantly looking for alternative investments in expectation of providing consistent absolute returns.”

According to Mr. Ribotsky, “Shoham has great experience growing businesses in Asia. We have confidence that he can and will do the same for NIR. His extensive knowledge of the Asian marketplace will be essential as we continue to expand our presence here in Asia.”

Long Island is experiencing the same private equity boom which is influencing business takeovers as the rest of the country as other sources of capital dry up and companies continue to go, or consider going, private. As hedge funds look for investment opportunities in private industry, Long Island investment firms are ready to play their role.

The President of Northwood Ventures, based in Syosset, Long Island, Peter Schiff,  said the private equity boom is being keenly felt on Long Island.

“Overall, the private equity market is very active,” Schiff said. “Our marketplace is very active. We’re working with smaller companies.”

Corey Ribotsky, head portfolio manager of the NIR Group, of Roslyn, New York is also involved in the excitement. Having over ten years of experience in these types of investments makes the NIR Group especially well positioned to benefit from the current economic reality.

As companies go private they are not only in need of investment forms to ease the way. Law firms and accounting firms are also benefiting from the trend, and many Long Island firms are participating.

On Oct 29, 2008 the charity organization, Hedge Funds for Habitat-NYC, was honored at the NYSE. Stuart Feffer, Co-CEO of LaCrosse Global Fund Services rang The Opening Bell together with hedge fund manager and leader Corey Ribotsky who is the Founder and Managing Member of The N.I.R. Group. These two men were honored in recognition of Ribotsky’s N.I.R. Group’s collaboration with the charity Hedge Funds for Habitat-NYC.

Hedge Funds for Habitat-NYC is a wonderful initiative founded by the hedge fund community in order to provide hardworking N.Y. City families with home ownership opportunities through the activities of Habitat for Humanity – New York City.

For the story on the NYSE Euronext site and to see the video of Feffer and Corey Ribotsky, go to www.nyse.com/events/1225189881392.html.

The Children’s Medical Fund of New York (CMFNY) aims to be able to provide all of the children of the greater New York area with all the medical care that they may require.

Corey Ribotsky of The NIR Group LLC. is the President of the CMFNY, and he devotes time and funds in this philanthropic pursuit.

As one of the philanthropy events the CMFNY held, Ribotsky and others were involved in golf day (here) that benefited the Children’s fund.