The current hedge fund asset base is approximately $954 billion, up from $705.4 billion last year, representing a broad array of managers and funds located in the U.S. and overseas. Tremont currently estimates the global industry’s assets to be at approximately $1.2 trillion, up from $1 trillon last year, with an additional $400 billion estimated to be in privately managed accounts.

Cynthia Nicoll, Chief Investment Officer of Tremont Capital Management Inc., said “Between traditional and hedge fund assets, inflows into the emerging markets in the first quarter are running ahead of 2005 as a whole,”

Emerging markets are still one of the leading strategies, growing at a rate of 5.83%. This has made them the largest gainer in the first quarter, according to the report tracking positive net inflows across all measured hedge fund strategies.

The Tremont Asset Flows Report is produced by the data research group at Tremont Capital Management, Inc. It contains information furnished by the various funds included in the report.