DWS Investments is planning a Chinese bond fund as it expects healthy new issuance, and 5% medium-term appreciation in the local currency.

Two UK investment managers have strengthened ties with German-speaking Europe, an attractive region for buying hard assets as its economies largely weather the periphery's financial woes.

Lobbying by investors and forthcoming stipulations from regulators on robust infrastructure at hedge funds has fuelled a hiring spree for back office staff, with recruitment of managers taking a back seat, says research out today.

Consultants believe that the existing fee model is unlikely to remain viable as Germany edges towards a distribution model similar to RDR proposed for the UK.

More new hedge funds launched in the first quarter than any time since 2007, fuelled by a tailwind of industry assets breaching $2trn for the first time, however funds also shut down at the fastest rate in the past 12 months.

Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management has made four senior appointments to strengthen its coverage of wealthy clients in emerging markets in south Asia, the Middle East and Pakistan.

Continuing recovery in the market for debt related to Western European property, and successful stock picking, helped the Real Estate Credit Investments investment trust rise 6.3% in value in the first quarter.

CQS is to soft close its flagship ABS hedge fund, a product that nearly tripled investors’ money during the crunch as manager Alistair Lumsden foresaw and bet on the US sub-prime meltdown.

Kenneth Rogoff, former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, predicts Washington will fail to tackle debt problems seriously until after next year’s presidential election, but he is “fundamentally positive” about markets in the longer term...

The investment manager has expanded well beyond its fixed-income heritage since the crisis, with investors benefiting from the change.