FAIRFIELD, Iowa, May 14, 2018 — Hedge Funds gained 0.49% in April according to the Barclay Hedge Fund Index compiled by BarclayHedge, versus a 0.38% gain in the S&P 500 Total Return Index. Year to date, the Barclay Index remains up 0.30%, while the S&P has lost 0.38%.
“Increasing tension in the middle east and White House displeasure with the Iran nuclear deal provided a lift to share prices of energy companies,” says Sol Waksman, founder and president of BarclayHedge.
Overall, 13 of Barclay’s 17 hedge fund indices had gains in April. The Technology Index jumped 2.96%, European Equites were up 2.37%, Distressed Securities gained 1.17%, and the Equity Long/Short Index added 0.86%.
The Emerging Markets Index fell 0.94% in April, Merger Arbitrage lost 0.12%, and the Equity Market Neutral Index slipped 0.05%.
“A plummeting peso in Argentina, a strengthening US dollar, and a four-year high for US 10-year Treasury yields put downward pressure on emerging markets in April,” says Waksman.
At the end of April, 10 hedge fund indices have gains for the year, and seven have losses. The Technology Index is up 5.93%, Healthcare & Biotechnology has gained 3.20%, Distressed Securities are up 2.44%, and European Equites have gained 2.17%.
Pacific Rim Equities have lost 2.54% year to date, Global Macro is down 1.46%, the Event Driven Index has lost 1.20%, and Merger Arbitrage is down 1.08%.
The Barclay Fund of Funds Index gained 0.34% in April, and has a year-to-date gain of 0.45%.
For a complete table of BarclayHedge Hedge Fund Index and Sub-Index numbers for April as well historical returns, click here.
Sol Waksman is an experienced media source, providing perspectives on hedge fund and managed futures trends. For more commentary or background, call 641-472-3456 or email swaksman@barclayhedge.com.
BarclayHedge is the global leader in providing independent, research-based information services to the alternative investment industry. Founded in 1985, Barclay currently maintains data on more than 6,400 hedge funds, fund of funds, and CTAs. No one has been in the business of collecting alternative investment data longer than BarclayHedge.
Institutional investors, brokerage firms, and private banks worldwide utilize BarclayHedge indices as performance benchmarks for the hedge fund and managed futures industries.