A legendary hedge fund that raised $5 billion in 24 hours expects 'all hell to break loose'

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Paul Singer.

A hedge fund led by an investing legend expects "all hell to break loose."

Billionaire Paul Singer's Elliott Management, which raised $5 billion in less than 24 hours earlier this month, says it has been building up its cash reserve to deploy during future market turmoil.

The hedge fund has been sounding the alarm for some time. But its most recent letter sets out why the fund decided to raise additional funds.

"We think that it is a good time to build a significant amount of dry powder," Elliott wrote to investors in a first-quarter update, a copy of which was reviewed by Business Insider.

It added:

"Given groupthink and the determination of policymakers to do 'whatever it takes' to prevent the next market 'crash,' we think that the low-volatility levitation magic act of stocks and bonds will exist until the disenchanting moment when it does not. And then all hell will break loose (don't ask us what hell looks like...), a lamentable scenario that will nevertheless present opportunities that are likely to be both extraordinary and ephemeral. The only way to take advantage of those opportunities is to have ready access to capital."

Elliott highlighted a chapter during the financial crisis to explain its choice to raise more money ahead of investment opportunities.

In 2008, the hedge fund said, it invested all of the remaining capital investors had committed to it shortly after Lehman Brothers failed, and also raised an additional $800 million. The hedge fund said it "could have deployed ten times as much in what turned out to be amazing (and fleeting) opportunities."

The firm managed about $33 billion as of April 1, the letter said.