Man Investments (MI), one of the world's biggest providers of hedge fund products, has unveiled an Internet-based trading facility that cuts significantly the time taken to buy and sell hedge fund investments.

The on-line platform, called MI Trade, allows daily trading as opposed to monthly or quarterly limits. It puts hedge fund investing with selected Man Investments' products on a similar time scale to trading in stocks and bonds.

With the speed of transactions, MI Trade introduces greater flexibility to hedge fund trading, allowing investors to adjust investment strategies at short notice, said an official spokesman.

Until now, such flexibility has been very limited in the hedge fund industry, with restricted availability and tight conditions.

With MI Trade, financial advisers acting for clients can use the Internet to buy and sell a range of Man Investments' products without delay. It allows them to manage actively client accounts and gives access to hedge fund investment products and prices.

CEO of Man Investments Middle East Antoine Massad described the system as 'a major leap forward for hedge funds that gives Man Investments a strong competitive advantage.'

'Investors can now, at no extra cost, actively and easily invest in hedge funds as part of an overall portfolio of stocks, property and bonds,' he said.

Investment products available through MI Trade cover a wide range of fund managers in the Man stable, including commodities, emerging markets, managed futures, health care, real estate and environment-based funds.

The programme will use major financial transaction clearing systems available in a wide range of countries. Planned development will extend its reach and capabilities even further. - TradeArabia News Service