Hedge fund assets surpassed the $1.6 trillion mark at the beginning of 2008 and JPMorgan the leading financial services firm remained at the top of the growing heap.

Assets of the all biggest U.S. hedge funds in 2007 increased 34 (%) +/- over the 2004-2006 even though 3 of the 23 largest hedge fund firms losing $29 billion in assets during the second half of the 2007.

As of January 1 2008, the U.S. hedge fund firms managed combined assets of $1.7 trillion, according to the HedgeFund Intelligence.

Assets of the 262 another hedge fund firms that manage $1 billion or more ( Billion Dollar Club), increased by $409 billion, or 34%. which is $60 billion dollar +/ - more than their gain in 2006. JPMorgan Asset Management and Highbridge Capital Management remains the biggest U.S. hedge fund manager, with $44.7 billion. Renaissance Technologies rose to fourth place with $34 billion (41.67 % increase), while Och-Ziff Capital Management rose $33.2 billion, an increase of 58.10 %.

Paulson & Co., assets increased nearly 306 % during 2007 to end the year at $29 billion.

Angelo, Gordon & Co. $14.50
Atticus Capital $17.50
Avenue Capital Group $20.56
Barclays Global Investors $26.20
Bridgewater Associates $36.00
Cerberus Capital Management $15.50
Citadel Investment Group $20.00
D.E. Shaw Group $32.20
Fairfield Greenwich Group $16.20
Farallon Capital Management $36.00*
Fortress Investment Group $14.84
FX Concepts $14.20
Goldman Sachs Asset Mgmt $29.20
Harbinger Capital Partners $17.93
JPMorgan $44.70
Moore Capital Management $15.00
Och-Ziff Capital Management $33.20*
Paulson & Co. $29.00
Perry Capital $14.50
Renaissance Technologies $34.00*
SAC Capital Advisors $16.00
Soros Fund Management $17.00
Stark Investments $14.44
Tudor Investment $17.00
Wellington Management $15.00

Below is the list of Asia’s top 10 hedge fund managers based on reported or estimated assets under management (AUM) as of March 31, 2007.

1. Sparx Group Co Ltd $6.7 billion. SPARX Group Co., Ltd., an independent Asia-based equity and credit asset management services and Asian fund financial specialist with offices in Tokyo Japan.
2. Value Partners Group $4.8 billion. Value Partners a Hong Kong based funds management firm specializing in Hong Kong/China equities.
3. Arisaig Partners $2.1 billion A Boutique… Arisaig Partners Asia are an independent investment management boutique. Core activity is investing in small and medium sized companies in Asia excluding Japan. Given our breadth of experience and research capability, we regard ourselves as amongst the leaders in this sector. In 2007 we launched a fund to invest in Africa and the Middle East.
4. Penta Investment Advisers $1.9 billion. PENTA INVESTMENT ADVISERS LIMITED. … Commodity Trading Advisors · Introducing Brokers · Futures Commission Merchants selects quality investment securities and continuously monitors the holdings, assets include mutual funds, U.S
5. Ward Ferry Management $1.8 billion. Ward Ferry Management Ltd. aim to develop constructive relationships with the management of the companies in which they invest.
6. Lapp Capital $1.4 billion
7. Tree Line Investment Management $1.3 billion. Tree Line has the group aims to achieve significant capital gains by identifying strong growth opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region for medium and long term investment.
8. Artradis Fund Management $1.2 billion. Artradis Fund Management an absolute return asset management company focused on delivering above average, risk adjusted returns in Asian markets.
9. Tantallon Capital $1.1 billion. Tantallon Capital is based in Singapore and is the advisory company to the Tantallon Fund, Tantallon BRIC Fund and Tantallon Smaller Companies Fund. The Tantallon Fund has both onshore and offshore investment structures for US & International investors via a Cayman LP and Cayman Island feeder fund.
10. Asuka Asset Management $1.0 billion. Work with risk management system, which team had developed for the Japanese market.

[A hedge fund is a private investment fund that charges a performance fee and is typically open to only a limited range of qualified investors.]

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