VENTURE CAPITAL POST

The volume of Philadelphia's venture capital (VC) investments is showing a mixed pattern. Though VC investment grew in 2015 when compared with investments in 2014, the fifth largest city in the US has attracted venture capital investment less than its due share of total funding.

New York-based hedge fund Visium Asset Management is facing probe by the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and Justice Department over its trading and valuation issues. Visium's exposure to healthcare sector is under scanner.

Israeli fintech hub initiative is receiving $2 million investments from Chinese venture capital firm Pando Group. The partnership is expected to build the bridge between Israel companies and the Asian markets.

India's securities market regulator Sebi is upgrading and strengthening its surveillance system on commodity exchanges (CommExes). Recently, Sebi has barred 16 commodity trading members from trading for manipulating castor seed futures. National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) is also enhancing and strengthening surveillance system for commodity exchanges in the country.

Indian stock markets recorded gains from continuous buying support from foreign institutional investors (FIIs). Encouraging global cues also led the stocks gain on Indian bourses. The latest institutional support made the best three-session rally since September 2013.

Encouraging gains on Wall Street were propelling up stocks in Asia and Australia. Barring Hang Kong and Japan, all the major market benchmark indices in Asia and Australia, rose.

InstarAGF Asset Management announced the initial closure of its C$372 million fundraising for InstarAGF Essential Infrastructure Fund. The fund aims to purchase power, social and civil infrastructure assets and amenities with ecological downside protection.

Argentina is planning to issue $15-bilion bonds making it the largest sum by any developing nation since 1996. Country's new President Mauricio Macri-led government will use funds mobilized through bonds for repaying debts and supporting government spending.

During five years, the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E program has invested in hundreds of projects for a total of $1.3 billion. The agency is still pushing forward to improve its funding system to help more projects commercialize its technologies.

B.C. clean-tech companies have requested Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to allocate a $500 million venture capital (VC) fund. An alliance comprising 51 clean-tech and investment firms from B.C. province has written a letter to the Prime Minister Trudeau to extend support to clean-tech industry.

Israel is witnessing an increasing number of new venture capital (VC) firms coming up. The country registered an inflow of $665 million VC funding during the first two months of the year. Unfazed with the recent market crash, the funds inflows continue for Israel startups.

Property investors would face tough economic condition in South Africa due to the economic resession the country is facing. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is attempting to overcome this by increasing tax, that could slow down property sales in the country.

The London City Airport has now new owners as a group of investors led by Canadian pension plan acquire the facility for £2 billion. Some expressed a concern over the airport’s plan to expand the service, also over the high price that could cause the new owners to increase airport charges.

President Jacob Zuma is at the center of criticism over lack of infrastructure facilities to attract foreign capital and global companies. All quarters of the society are calling for government's commitment to restore business confidence on South Africa.

Indian smart phone market is witnessing robust growth rate and attracting foreign venture capitalists (VCs). The home-grown apps are creating more demand for venture capital. India is second largest market for smartphones after China.