M.Comm. (Financial Economics) / This study provides an assessment of the comparative effectiveness of four methods of estimating the optimal hedge ratio in the South African equity and futures markets. This study bases the effectiveness of hedging on volatility reduction and minimisation of the coefficient of variation of hedged returns as well as the risk-aversion based on utility maximisation. The empirical analysis shows that the static single equation method estimated by ordinary least squares is the most effective over daily hedging periods. However, the vector error-correction method and multivariate GARCH methods are most effective over weekly and monthly hedging periods. Vector autoregression method is the least effective method over all hedging periods.

With the financial crisis of 2008 and more retirement funds and insurance companies entering the hedge fund industry, the safety of investor assets has become vital. According to a worldwide study by Kundro and Feffer (2002:42), operational risk factors account for almost half of hedge fund failures. The issues that underlie the operational risk factors relate to valuation of the fund’s assets and liabilities. Unless certain valuation practices become more widespread, hedge funds face a potential crisis of confidence with institutional and high net worth investors (Kundro and Feffer, 2002:42). Despite the improvements made by administrators to deal with the complexities of hedge fund investments, the accuracy of some valuations remains open to question (McVea 2008:135). Hedge fund manager inputs into valuations compromise the degree of independence exercised, particularly with regard to complex and/or illiquid instruments. The perception that administrators lack the required technical expertise to value complex and/or illiquid assets exacerbates the issue of administrator’s reliability to provide independent valuations. Therefore, the reliance on administrators to guarantee the quality of valuations of complex instruments is in question. The aim of the study was to identify ways to improve operational risk management practices, particularly valuations, in hedge funds through identifying ways of promoting effective functioning of independent third-party administrators. This was achieved through a case study approach using a South African leading administrator, Investment Data Services, as the object of study. The literature highlighted the changing functions of administrators, the challenges facing them and ways of addressing those challenges. The empirical study measured the extent of IDS’ valuation practices in managing operational risk in hedge funds. Four key members of IDS’ management team and one hedge fund manager with considerable insight were interviewed. The data obtained was then reduced into meaningful results. The empirical findings were compared with the theory provided in the literature scrutiny to identify ways of improving the valuation function. The conclusion was that the challenges faced by the administrator were addressed through proper independence, consistency and transparency of the valuation process. A crucial cog in IDS’ wheel is the employment of staff with the required technical skills to understand complex financial instruments. In addition, investment in advanced systems and technology is important in managing the risks involved. Consequently, IDS’ valuation practices can be used as template for other administrators in their efforts to manage the operational risks in hedge funds.

Thesis (MAcc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontstaan van verskansingsfondse in Suid-Afrika het die afgelope dekade baie reaksie ontlok vanaf reguleerders wat onseker is oor die werking van hierdie fondse. Verskansingsfondse is ‘n nuwe tipe beleggingsinstrument wat gebruik maak van verskeie verskansingstegnieke om beleggers se fondse tot ‘n maksimum te laat groei. Hierdie fondse is uniek in vergelyking met tradisionele beleggings. Die rede hiervoor, is weens die feit dat hierdie beleggingstegnieke die fonds se beleggingswaarde kan laat groei, hoewel die tradisionele belegging oor dieselfde tydperk, ‘n daling mag ervaar gedurende ‘n tydperk wat markte swak presteer. Tans word riglyne aan fondsbestuurders van verskansingsfondse verskaf deur wetgewing, maar die werking van hierdie fondse word nog nie gereguleer nie. Die feit dat die werking van verskansingsfondse nie tans in Suid-Afrika gereguleer word nie lei direk tot die vraag oor die belasbaarheid van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse. Die spesifieke probleem wat nagevors word ingevolge die studie is die vraag of ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse kapitaal of inkomste van aard is. Die Raad van Finansiële Dienste is tans in die proses om ‘n beter begrip te verkry rakende die werking van verskansingsfondse en poog om die werking van verskansingsfondse binne die nadere toekoms te reguleer ingevolge wetgewing. Hierdie regulering van die werking van verskansingsfondse kan heel moontlik direk leiding verskaf ten opsigte van die belastinghantering van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse, aangesien daar sprake is dat die Raad van Finansiële Dienste graag verskansingsfondse onder die Wet op Beheer van Kollektiewe Beleggingskemas wil reguleer. Die Inkomstebelastingwet reguleer die belasbaarheid van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf kollektiewe beleggingskemas in effekte en indien verskansingsfondse geklassifiseer sou word as ‘n kollektiewe beleggingskema in effekte, sal geen onsekerheid bestaan rakende die belastinghantering daarvan nie. Bogenoemde is egter nog nie Wetgewing in Suid-Afrika nie en die navorsingstudie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die bepaling van belasbaarheid van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse gebaseer moet word op regspraak se beginsels neergelê as riglyne vir die bepaling of ontvangste en toevallings kapitaal of inkomste van aard is. Elke situasie en transaksie moet egter op sy eie meriete geëvalueer word, aangesien elke geval sy eie omstandighede teweegbring waarop regspraak se beginsels toegepas moet word om ‘n gevolgtrekking te maak tot tyd en wyl wetgewing die belasbaarheid van verskansingsfondse meer spesifiek reguleer. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of hedge funds in South Africa over the past decade evoked many reactions from regulators who are uncertain of the operations of these funds. Hedge funds are a new type of investment instrument which uses hedging techniques to maximise the growth of the investors’ funds. These funds are unique in comparison to traditional investments. This is due to the fact that the investment techniques used, can establish a growth in the value of the investment fund, whilst the traditional investment, compared over the same period, may experience a decline during a period that markets are performing badly. Currently, fund managers of hedge funds are given guidelines in terms of the law, but the operations of these funds are not regulated. The fact that operations of hedge funds currently are not regulated in South Africa gives rise to the question of taxation of receipts and accruals from hedge funds. The specific problem that is being researched by this study is the question whether the receipts and accruals from a hedge fund are of a capital or revenue nature. The Financial Services Board is currently in the process of getting a better understanding of the operations of hedge funds and strives to regulate the operations of a hedge fund in accordance to the law in the near future. The regulation of the operations of hedge funds can most probably give guidance with regards to the tax treatment of receipts and accruals from hedge funds, due to the fact that there is talk from the Financial Services Board to regulate hedge funds in accordance to the Collective Investment Scheme Act. The lncome Tax Act regulates the taxation of receipts and accruals from collective investments schemes in securities and should hedge funds be classified as a collective investment scheme in securities, there would be no uncertainty with regards to the taxation thereof. The above-mentioned does not form part of any Act in South Africa and the research study arrive to the conclusion that the determination of taxation of receipts and accruals from hedge funds should be based on the principles established by case law to give guidance to the determination of whether receipts and accruals are of a capital or revenue nature. Every situation and transaction should be evaluated on their own merits, seeing that every case can bring about their own circumstances upon which the principles established by case law should be applied until such time that the law more specifically regulates the taxation of hedge funds.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Finance and Investments in the FACULTY OF COMMERCE, LAW AND MANAGEMENT WITS BUSINESS SCHOOL at the UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND / The South African hedge fund industry is reported to have had R52 billion (USD 4.8 billion) assets under management at the end of December 2013. This compares to the global industry which is reported to have surpassed USD 2.6 trillion at the end of 2013. Due to the relative infancy of the local industry, little research exists to analyse the performance of South African hedge fund strategies. This study focuses on the performance of South African hedge fund strategies under different market regimes, taking into consideration market and economic factors specific to South Africa. The analysis shows that the hedge fund strategies offer a diversification benefit to more traditional asset classes, and the results of the study can be used to inform an investor’s allocation decision. The findings of the analysis are used as the basis of a portfolio construction framework for constructing a portfolio of hedge funds. The framework is predicated on the investor having a view on the forthcoming macro environment. The framework enables the investor to identify funds and strategies that have produced a stable alpha over a similar market regime for inclusion in the portfolio of funds. After identifying those funds and strategies most suited to the anticipated macro environment, the number of funds to be included in the portfolio is taken under consideration to determine the optimal number such that the performance and risk characteristics of the portfolio are not compromised. The analysis takes the higher moments of the distribution into account to cater for the non-normal nature of hedge fund distributions.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Management in Finance and Investments in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management Wits Business School at the University of the Witwatersrand , 2016 / We use a comprehensive HedgeNews Africa data set from January 2007 to October 2016 to examine the performance of South African Hedge Funds in relation to JSE All share Index and All Bond Composite Index. We do so using Capital Assets Pricing Model (CAPM), Fama and French three-factor model and four factor model. Research on South African hedge funds are scarce, which motivate this research and in the light of the new regulation that provide for two categories of hedge funds, namely Qualified Investor hedge funds and Retail Investors hedge funds, to see how ordinary investor can benefit from this unique industry. The results show that South African hedge fund have low correlation with the All Bond Composite Index, but do not outperform the JSE All Share Index. We also find that South African hedge fund outperforms the All Bond Composite Index. We further test whether South African hedge fund managers have market timing ability and find that they do not have any significant market timing ability. / MT2017

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters in Finance and Investments in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management Wits Business School At the University of Witwatersrand / The study focuses on determining the driving factors of the performance of different hedge fund strategies in the South African industry. This is done through the application of an augmented capital asset pricing model. The model is predicated on the original (Sharpe, 1964) and (Lintner, 1965) Capital Asset Pricing Model. The researcher uses the excess market returns and the South African Volatility index as independent variables in the explanation of hedge fund returns at strategy and portfolio level. Through the analysis, the researcher finds that the excess market returns and the South African Volatility Index characterize the hedge fund expected returns for some of the strategies using OLS and GMM techniques. The second section uses a system of seemingly unrelated regressions for both the OLS and GMM techniques to determine if the two explanatory variables are priced into the different strategies; this indeed is shown to be the case for some of the strategies examined in the analysis. / MT2017