LONDON, Dec 11 (Reuters) - New hedge fund launches

will 'likely' end the year at their lowest in 24 years amid

tough fundraising conditions, hedge fund research firm Preqin

said on Wednesday, based on numbers from the first three

quarters of this year.

By the third quarter of 2024, hedge fund managers opened 123

new funds, the lowest number since at least 2000 when total

launches reached 191, Preqin said. Hedge fund debuts peaked at

697 in 2017, according to its data.

Most of this year's new funds aim to trade stocks, said the

research firm.