Heard on the Street: Chatting 'Em Up

``European hedge-fund giant Brevan Howard caused a few chuckles on Wall Street this week when its investor-relations department went into overdrive. We hear it shared the firm's latest results with potential investors, some of whom didn't recall receiving such unsolicited emails in the past. The numbers were something to be proud of. The firm's key fund is up 6% so far this month and has gained an impressive 11% for the year to date. ''