Ecologic studies of this sort have well-known limitations: above all, they make use of aggregate information on the exposure groups and rates of disease rather than information on individuals.
By talking to prime brokers (the arms of banks that serve hedge funds), the authorities have also been able to monitor the aggregate level of hedge-fund exposure, and thus systemic risk.
The results will contain estimated losses by exposure category, pre-provision net revenue, changes in loan loss reserves, total assets, aggregate loan balances and anticipated capital distributions over the time horizon.