European institutional investors have slowed diversification into other regions’ equity and bond markets, but are ready to continue in less volatile times, according to Greenwich Associates. Twenty per cent will allocate substantially more to other regions, while only 7 per cent plan to pull back; and nearly a third will significantly increase emerging markets exposure by 2011.

FT Mandate readers are invited to attend the Hedge Fund Insights Series 2008, which will address the future of an industry rocked by a wave of redemptions, reduced leverage and heightened liquidity and counterparty risks.

As Barack Obama waits to be inaugurated as the forty-fourth president of the US, some fund managers fear he will enact protectionist measures which could hit the fortunes of companies which trade with America.

Market volatility is set to continue, but now may be the time for medium to longer term investors to start buying equities again, writes Cesar Perez.

A fall in the cost of financing is necessary for a sustainable rally in the equity markets to occur, writes Andrew Tunks.

Increased concerns about counterparty risk may mean that the threatened staff reductions at investment houses will not affect the operational side. By Henry Smith.

The Argentine government’s decision to merge private pension funds into the state system has created an unnecessary financial crisis, writes Daniel Eustaquio.

The economic world is undergoing a seismic shift which will secure China’s growing importance writes John Cleary.

As hedge funds continue to suffer large-scale capital redemptions, asset managers are confident that much of this cash outflow will find its way into long-only equity funds.

Institutional investors have called for greater transparency, increased standardisation and more accurate valuation for over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives as they begin confirming their liability-driven investment strategies for 2009.

Some fund managers are concerned that the President-elect’s economic plans could include protectionist measures that would hinder investors, writes Henry Smith.

These are difficult times for pension funds but those with the correct governance for their investment strategies will fare best, writes Robert Brown.

It is not just the American market that is important to the future of Natixis but the success of its operations in the Middle East and Asia, writes Yuri Bender.

The financial crisis must not distract companies from their environmental and social responsibilities, writes Bozena Jankowska.

The Debt Management Office is charged with raising the money to fund the UK government’s recapitalisation of troubled banks but chief executive Robert Stheeman is confident about the huge challenges that lie ahead. By Nat Mankelow.

Nurturing relationships has always been an important part of private equity investment. Pantheon stresses that this applies as much within the partnership as it does with underlying managers and end investors. By Martin Steward.

The prime brokerage landscape is changing. Hedge funds, stung by the freezing of assets held at Lehman Brothers, are seeking protection against defaults by setting up accounts with multiple prime brokers. But despite the short-term turmoil, many are bullish about the industry’s long-term future. By Henry Smith.

As a result of the financial crisis, institutional investors have flocked to the safety of government securities. The resulting supply and demand imbalance has seen bond prices rise and yields fall but attractive valuations can still be found. by Nat Mankelow.

Three large hedge fund managers are changing their relationships with the client base. In doing so they describe a key debate about how institutional investors should approach the sector. By Martin Steward.

Transition managers are having to deal with market volatility and rising costs, as well as the development of new exchanges but our panel is optimistic for the industry’s future.

As investment strategies become more complex, the value that a transition manager can add is greater than ever, says Chris Adolph of UBS.

ETFs are thriving in the volatile markets but it is the providers who can supply the full asset allocation range who will reap the benefits.

Algorithms have had to cope not only with abnormal volatility, but also abnormal volume, writes Richard Hills, head of electronic services at Société Générale Corporate & Investment Banking.

US mid-cap managers are offering different degrees of caution leavened by opportunistic buying. Shorter-term value trading and longer-term growth investing, mid-caps and all-caps, defensiveness and anticipating the recovery curve, are all available options. By Martin Steward.

Custody banks and securities servicers are responding to the problems faced by the prime brokerages by offering asset managers an alternative, enabling clients to reassess their traditional custody relationships. By Martin Steward.