London Borough Pensions Eye Hedge Funds

London's local government authorities have turned their attentions to hedge funds. Their money could soon follow.

Each of London's 32 boroughs has a pension fund; combined, the pensions have some US$31.5 billion in assets. But while only nine of the pensions currently invest in either hedge funds or funds of hedge funds, both the number of investing pensions and the amount they invest in the asset class could be growing next year.

Already, two boroughs, Camden and Waltham Forest, have made plans to invest next year, HFMWeek reports. Others are mulling a first foray into hedge funds, as well.

In doing so, the borough pensions are following the lead of Enfield, which has invested in hedge funds since 2007. Enfield currently has US$184.4 million invest in six hedge funds, some 28.5% of the total hedge fund investments for all the London boroughs.