peHUB Second Opinion 7.21

Scoops: Blackstone is reportedly eying an Asian real estate fund operated by Merrill Lynch. (Deal)

Via Abnormal Returns: I haven’t read this yet, but I suspect it would be a worthwhile read for both small cap investors and middle market buyout funds. It’s a Brandes Institute white paper from April called Is U.S. Small Cap a Viable Alternative to U.S. Private Equity? (SSRN via AR)

Spoiler Alert: No. Do good students become good entrepreneurs? (You’re The Boss)

Recession Not Vicey Enough: Even though the S&P is up more than 43% for the year, the Vice Fund is only up 24%. (Zerobeta)

What Do CNBC Anchors Do During Washington Hearings? Clusterstock wonders if they “smoke green shoots and plan tomorrows wardrobe.” (Clusterstock)

You’re Not Helping: It wasn’t just Goldman Sachs that killed in Q2. Hedge fund assets also surged in Q2 thanks to the relatively healthy stock market performance. (Dealbook)

The GP Allure: LPs invest in buyout firms the same way we buy TVs? Meaning, it’s all a fancy game of advertising… (Not Too Proud)

Speaking of Goldman Sachs, you didn’t think Jon Stewart would let The New Yorker have all the fun, did you?