The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money (2024)

Hello! A submersible superyacht sounds like it should belong to a supervillain in an animated movie. But an Austrian company says it's a real possibility, and it's already in talks with potential buyers.

  • Silicon Valley is betting on a Goldman prodigy to build the city of the future.

  • The more you earn, the harder it is to find a job right now.

  • Big Tech has a big green-card problem.

  • The hedge-fund industry's newest rock stars don't manage money.

But first: Why Wall Street is so happy to see the job market slowing down.

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The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money (1)

DNY

This week's dispatch

Job market slowdown

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The US economy added 175,000 jobs in April, falling short of expectations for the first time in six months and showing a steep drop from the revised 315,000 figure for March.

That sent stocks soaring and bond yields plunging. Why? A higher number had the potential to push any rate cuts from the Federal Reserve further out into the future. A lower number would signal cracks in economic growth and hint at stagflation.

Instead, investors took the not-too-high, not-too-low hiring numbers as a sign that the hoped for soft landing for the economy is still on the cards, despite sticky inflation.

"In our view, the softening trend in labor markets will make it easier for the Fed to cut rates," Brian Rose, a senior US economist at UBS Global Wealth Management, wrote.

While investors might be happy with the jobs numbers, they're likely to do little for the economic mood. Wage growth slowed while unemployment picked up. White-collar workers are finding it harder to get hired.

It's a reminder that good news for the stock market isn't always good news for workers.

The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money (2)

Christie Hemm Klok for BI

Big Tech's urban hero

Jan Sramek quietly became the largest landowner in Solano County, a sparsely populated area wedged between Napa and Sacramento that he hopes will one day become California Forever.

Sramek, a former Goldman Sachs trader, is backed by a who's who of Silicon Valley billionaire investors. Tech barons from Reid Hoffman to Marc Andreessen are betting on him to make the city of the future —the question is whether he can pull it off.

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Meet the man behind California Forever.

The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money (3)

Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI

The white-collar recession

For people who've recently searched for a job, the market appears to be brutal.

That's especially true if you're a relatively high-earning worker. New data from Vanguard shows a two-tier job market: one divided between a blue-collar boom and a white-collar recession.

Why high-earners can't find work.

Also read:

10 things you should be negotiating every time you land a job offer, according to ex-Microsoft HR VP

The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money (4)

Stefano Spicca/Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI

Big Tech's green card problem

As competition dwindles and the green-card process gets tougher, some Big Tech companies are backing off green-card applications.

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The situation is making it harder for foreign tech workers to stay in the US. One top immigration attorney said overseas candidates may want to search far beyond Silicon Valley and New York City for jobs in the industry.

More on that here.

Also read:

  • Google says immigration rules are making it hard to hire top AI talent

  • Here are the 25 startups that sponsor the most H-1B visas for immigrants looking for work

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The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money (5)

iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI

The portfolio-manager whisperers

The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money. Instead, these business development professionals scout and evaluate investment talent.

These so-called BD roles, once an under-the-radar gig, have become coveted, multimillion-dollar jobs amid the war for talent.

Inside the rise of the business-development professional.

Also read:

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  • Citadel's stock-pickers lead the way in April — here's how hedge fund competitors fared

This week's quote:

"Satya (Nadella) and the entire senior leadership team lean on (Bill) Gates very significantly. His opinion is sought every time we make a major change."

- A Microsoft executive on Gates' continued presence.

More of this week's top reads:

  • Endless Shrimp didn't kill Red Lobster. Wall Street did.

  • Joseph Stiglitz explains why America's appetite for Trump endures.

  • The US's major job hubs are now cities like Charleston and Hilton Head, South Carolina.

  • Tesla tells the EV industry: Fend for yourselves.

  • Quit hosting PowerPoint parties with your friends.

  • Gen Z is outpacing boomers on income and millennials on home ownership.

  • Biden used ChatGPT for the first time. Here's how that went.

    The Insider Today team: Matt Turner, deputy editor-in-chief, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York.

The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money (2024)

FAQs

The new power figures in hedge funds do not manage money? ›

The portfolio-manager whisperers

Do hedge funds manage money? ›

A hedge fund is a limited partnership of private investors whose money is pooled and managed by professional fund managers. These managers use a wide range of strategies, including leverage (borrowed money) and the trading of non-traditional assets, to earn above-average investment returns.

Why are hedge funds in decline? ›

In a low interest rate environment, the fixed fees became less attractive," Sonnenfeldt told CNBC via email, adding that hedge funds could no longer "deliver exciting returns." Hedge funds are actively managed funds with a focus on non-traditional assets and employ risky strategies.

Why do so many hedge funds fail? ›

Some strategies, such as managed futures and short-only funds, typically have higher probabilities of failure given the risky nature of their business operations. High leverage is another factor that can lead to hedge fund failure when the market moves in an unfavorable direction.

Why are hedge fund managers so rich? ›

Hedge fund managers typically earn above-average compensation, often from a two-and-twenty fee structure. Hedge fund managers typically specialize in a particular investment strategy that they then use to power their fund portfolio's mandate for profits.

How much commission do hedge fund managers make? ›

The 2 and 20 is a hedge fund compensation structure consisting of a management fee and a performance fee. 2% represents a management fee which is applied to the total assets under management. A 20% performance fee is charged on the profits that the hedge fund generates, beyond a specified minimum threshold.

Is my money safe in a hedge fund? ›

While hedge funds are only lightly regulated and carry high inherent risks, funds of hedge funds are thought to offer security because professional managers are picking the hedge funds that make up the pools.

What is the biggest hedge fund scandal? ›

1. Madoff Investment Scandal. Madoff admitted to his sons who worked at the firm that the asset management business was fraudulent and a big lie in 2008. 2 It is estimated the fraud was around $65 billion.

Do hedge funds hurt the economy? ›

The influence of hedge funds on the global economy is undeniable. Their investment decisions can affect asset valuations, stock prices, and market stability. Furthermore, their ability to invest in a wide range of assets and markets can translate into a unique perspective on the world's economic health.

What is the survival rate of hedge funds? ›

First, the hedge fund mortality rate in this sample is estimated at 8.43 per cent per year which is twice the size of those reported in mutual fund studies. We find that 59 per cent of hedge funds at the start of the sample do not survive the full sample period.

Do billionaires use hedge funds? ›

The recent Forbes 400 (richest American billionaires) list has about 112 people, by my count, who made their fortunes in some form of Finance, Investments, Hedge Funds, insurance or banking.

Who is the highest paid hedge fund manager? ›

In 2023, the five highest-paid hedge fund managers were Ken Griffin of Citadel, Izzy Englander of Millennium Management, Steve Cohen of Point72 Asset Management, David Tepper of Appaloosa Management, and James Simon of Renaissance Technologies.

Is Warren Buffett a hedge fund manager? ›

In fact, he owned and managed his own hedge fund before he took charge of Berkshire Hathaway. He introduced Buffett Partnership, an early version of hedge funds, in 1957, and it was wildly successful. In the 12 years he managed the fund, Buffett delivered compounded annual returns of 31.6 percent before fees.

What do hedge funds do all day? ›

Work days do tend to follow somewhat of a routine, with market open and close being the most critical. In addition to trading, hedge fund managers must also make sure all of their positions are in order, their models up-to-date, and their business/social lives active to keep investors and brokers happy.

What is the purpose of a hedge fund? ›

Hedge funds pool money from investors and invest in securities or other types of investments with the goal of getting positive returns.

How do hedge fund managers pay themselves? ›

Determines strategy and makes investing decisions and allocations, as well as manages portfolio risk. The investment manager is also invested in the fund and is compensated via a management fee, as well as a performance fee based on the fund's annual performance.

Do people in hedge funds make a lot of money? ›

The top individual Portfolio Managers can earn hundreds of millions or billions each year. Hedge funds offer a much higher pay ceiling than investment banking, (sometimes) better hours and work/life balance, and the chance to do more interesting work.

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