Half of Britons want greater hedge fund access

Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Author: Money News

Over half of Britons would like to see hedge funds made widely available to the public, according to new research.

A survey carried out by 72 Point Limited for F&C Investments shows that just ten per cent of Britons feel that hedge funds should solely be made available to professional investors.

Despite a swelling of public support for hedge funds, an understanding of them is still relatively limited, the research has shown.

F&C shows that more than three-quarters of investors are unaware they can gain access to hedge funds through stock exchange-listed companies.

Francois Barthelemy, partner of F&C partners, said: "Fund of hedge funds, managed by a team of specialists with the necessary expertise to do a detailed screening, due diligence and face-to-face research process, provide a great solution for retail investors wishing to gain exposure to hedge funds.

"We believe that at times of market volatility, a portfolio of hedge funds offers the best risk/return profile available," she added.