With the plunge in the markets, the hedge fund industry has gone into a tailspin. Even top hedge fund managers -- such as Citadel Kenneth Griffin, Paul Tudor Jones, Steven Cohen and so on -- are having troubles. In fact, there's talk of hedge fund failures, consolidation, and increased regulation. For example, hedge funds may lose 15% of overall assets by the end of 2008. Keep in mind that the average hedge fund is down a stunning 18% this year.
Yet, there are some wily hedge fund managers that are striking fortunes. Perhaps the most notable is John Paulson, who manages Paulson & Co. His fund scored $15 billion in gains last year. Basically, he shorted a variety of complex mortgage securities.
Interesting enough, Paulson's hot hand has continued. That is, his funds have seen increases of 15% to 25% so far this year.
In fact, if he can maintain this pace, Paulson will have personally amassed a $3.5 billion over the past two years.
Oh, and Paulson has 70% of his assets in cash right now. In other words, when the markets settle, he'll be a nice position to capitalize on things -- and make even more money for himself.
Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Streetsmart Guide to Short Selling: Techniques the Pros Use to Profit in Any Market
. He is also the founder of BizEquity, a valuation website.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-26-2008 @ 1:43AM
Joe Martinez said...
One question for Tom Taulli, Tom will you be buying ant GE stock?
10-26-2008 @ 8:08AM
Virgil Bierschwale said...
Good article.
Sounded a bit envious, but this is the way businesses are supposed to be run.
Why are we rewarding the one's that weren't run properly with more money in the form of a bail out ?
Virgil
http://www.KeepAmericaAtWork.com
10-26-2008 @ 8:33AM
bhARRISON said...
Isn't it past time to outlaw hedge funds? A basic problem is that the stock markets have become too much like a Las Vegas gambling casino . . . and like that, are "controlled by "the house" (the wealthy special interests who control the makets.)
While there are a normal "risks" in any investments in the markets, the savings of people for retirement in the markets makes it unacceptable to have a "casino style" market that is manipulated by the special interests. We are now beginning to see the impact of the pyramid and Ponzi FRAUD SCHEMES that have become an integral part of the stock markets.
The government is trying to convince people to invest in the market that is STILL BEING CONTROLLED BY THE CORRUPT POLITICIANS, CEOs, and corporate management WHO CAUSED THIS DEBACLE. The American people are not going to "buy into this coninued FRAUD".
The QUANDRY is: "HOW DO WE GET RID OF THOSE IN POWER, WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CRIMES? How do we get rid of Barney "Google" Frank, Mel Martinez, Ms Pelosi, Andrew Cuomo, and all of the other inept and politicially corrupt individuals . . . "recovery" cannot start until that is done.
10-27-2008 @ 4:18AM
Payday Loan Advocate said...
America is bemused by the current economic crisis that mortgage lending has brought on to the country. However, Americans are not the only people affected by such matters on a daily basis. The International Herald Tribune elucidates that the worldwide credit crunch is going on in Europe as well. Small businesses depend upon credit with its suppliers in order to function. A small business owner, Dominique Boudier who runs a printing company, also depends on credit for the production of her company, and her creditors are cutting back their offerings by half. This is an order from the suppliers’ credit insurance companies. Bouldier’s business needs additional cash flow to make up for their major fallback, considering a typical 60-day lag time in which clients pay. As the bank’s hands are tied, the goods of her future seem unclear. Like many banks across Europe, her bank began to put their money to sleep with the European Central Bank instead of investing it back into other banks and the economy as a whole. When liquidity was disrupted and banks began to fail, credit began to dry up. Similar to America’s Federal Reserve Bank, the European Central Bank uses a method based on the ability to create as much fiat money as required. Fiat-money currency loses value once the government refuses to further guarantee its value. We see this in high inflation rates in this demolishing economic world we currently live in. If the banking systems are more responsible, it will, without a doubt, help solve this problem. Until that happens, payday advance loans will absolutely be a smarter alternative for consumers who need immediate short-term relief and can’t bear to wait on an irresolute central banking system.
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10-27-2008 @ 5:04AM
andrew abraham said...
John Paulson saw the obvious that so many of us did not see...how could banks lend money to people that could not pay them back...or lend to companys that were buying other companys at high multiples...with the thought to sell them for more money.... We have chatted numerous times on myinvestorsplace.com about this... but no expected the economy to get this bad...
Andy
www.myinvestorsplace.com