AIS Fund Administration expands European sales force - AIS Fund Administration, a global hedge fund administrator and provider of outsourced middle and back office functions, has hired Dominic Newland as vice president of its European sales team.

Accel India closes USD60m seed and early-stage fund - Accel has announced that it has closed a USD60m venture fund to invest in seed and early stage opportunities in India.

Alternative investments prevalent among US institutions and advisers - There is a sustained appetite for alternative investments among institutions and financial advisers in the US, according to a survey by investment research provider Morningstar and Barron's, a business and finance magazine.

American Capital to acquire subsidiary European Capital - American Capital, the Maryland-based alternative asset manager, has announced the proposed acquisition of its Guernsey-based subsidiary European Capital.

Asia Alternatives announces final closing for USD950m second fund - Hong Kong-based Asia Alternatives, an independent manager of private equity funds of funds, has announced the final close of Asia Alternatives Capital Partners II, with USD950m million of committed capital.

BNY Mellon to provide ETF services for Direxion Funds - BNY Mellon Asset Servicing has been selected by Direxion Funds to provide exchange-traded funds services including custody, accounting, fund administration, basket calculation and transfer agency.

Babcock & Brown sells Portuguese wind farm assets for EUR1.15bn - Specialised infrastructure fund manager Babcock & Brown has announced that it has sold a portfolio of wind farms in Portugal to a consortium of investors led by Magnum Capital for an enterprise value of approximately EUR1.15bn.

Bank of New York Mellon launches credit fund service - The Bank of New York Mellon, a global financial services company, has launched a credit fund service for alternative fund managers that combines loan administration, fund administration and investor services.

Barclay CTA Index up 3.48 per cent in October as 2008 gain tops 10 per cent - Managed futures posted a gain of 3.48 per cent in October, according to the Barclay CTA Index compiled by Fairfield, Iowa-based index provider BarclayHedge, taking the index's cumulative advance to 10.81 per cent over the first 10 months of this year.

BluO collects over EUR300m against market trend - Munich-based re-structuring specialist BluO International Affiliates has announced that despite the financial and economic crisis, it has been able to collect over EUR300m before the first closing.

Bramdean Asset Management launches music-for-film fund - Bramdean Asset Management, a London-based alternative investment manager, and Cutting Edge Music Holdings, a provider of music to the film industry, have announced the completion of a music-for-film investment fund, Resonant Music I.  

C8Software launches reporting tool for investment industry - C8Software has developed a presentation and reporting tool for investment professionals called Consolid8.

CB Richard Ellis Investors expands executive team with new chief operating officer - Peter DiCorpo has joined CB Richard Ellis Investors as chief operating officer, responsible for the global execution of the company's business plan and oversight of day-to-day business operations, and reporting to president William Harris.

Cairn Capital appoints Peter Hansell to run real estate fund - Cairn Capital has appointed Peter Hansell to focus on the development and expansion of its existing real estate related activities and to run the company's soon-to-be-launched Ibex Fund, which will invest in commercial mortgage debt.

Cani Financial names vice-president of business development - Cani Financial Advisors, a provider of quantitative trading technology and alternative asset management, has appointed John McFarland as vice president of business development.

Carlyle Group to invest in Italian retail development - Private equity firm the Carlyle Group has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire the company that owns the retail development Le Terrazze di Vado, which is currently under construction in Vado Ligure, in the Italian province of Savona.

Connexion Capital appoints Mark Mortimer to London team - Connexion Capital, the alternative investment advisory firm, has announced the addition of Mark Mortimer to its London-based team.

Convertible arbitrage loses 32 per cent in October, says Dow Jones - The Dow Jones Hedge Fund Strategy Benchmarks were not invulnerable to the financial hardships that have hit the US economy, with five of the six strategies covered by Dow Jones Hedge Fund Indexes posting net-of-fee losses in October.

Corazon Capital chooses Third Financial Software's investment platform - Independent investment manager Corazon Capital has selected Third Financial Software's integrated investment management platform, Tercero, to assist its plans for future growth.

Corazon Capital opens Geneva office - Corazon Capital has launched a Geneva business to offer discretionary portfolio management to investors and their advisers in the region and to those who use Switzerland as a financial base.