HFR and Morningstar have launched a strategic distribution partnership with Morningstar Direct Institutional Software. 

HFR is a leading provider of indices, data and analysis for the hedge fund industry, and Morningstar, Inc is a leading provider of independent investment research. Subscribers to, including HFRX and HFRI Indices, hedge fund database and analysis of alternative industry trends for use within the Direct platform.   
 
Morningstar Direct combines Morningstar’s global investment data and content with sophisticated research analytics and tools to interpret financial information for investment ideas and communicate it in clear, visual reports. More than 1,700 institutions subscribe to Morningstar Direct globally, and it recently surpassed the 6,000 user mark.
 
“HFR’s content will provide Morningstar Direct subscribers with a powerful resource for hedge fund information,” says Chris Boruff (pictured), President of Morningstar’s software division. “Our clients have requested additional alternative investment content. Teaming up with HFR complements our efforts to make Direct a comprehensive platform for institutional investors and asset managers by offering Morningstar’s proprietary data and research alongside premium providers like HFR.”

The announcement of the distribution partnership between the two Chicago-based firms occurs against a backdrop of capital growth and strategic opportunity across the global hedge fund industry. Hedge funds have posted the best start to the year since 2000, with the HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index having gained over +5.0 per cent in the first two months of 2012.  Total industry assets eclipsed a new record in 2011 as investors allocated USD70 Billion to hedge funds, bringing total capital to USD2.02 trillion.

“HFR is pleased to offer access to HFRX and HFRI Indices, HFR Database and Industry Analysis through Morningstar Direct, and we look forward to expanding the base of investors and asset managers that use HFR content as an integral component of their investment processes and performance benchmarking,” says Kenneth J Heinz, President of HFR. “The strategic partnership benefits investors by integrating HFR’s innovative, industry-leading hedge fund content into Morningstar’s  intuitive, sophisticated software platform to provide a one-stop analysis solution across both traditional and alternative asset classes.”