Barclay Hedge Fund Index Down .96% in June; Hedge Funds Slightly Above Break Even After Two Quarters

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, July 16, 2010– Hedge funds lost 0.96% in June according to the Barclay Hedge Fund Index compiled by BarclayHedge. The Index is now up 0.13% year-to-date.

All but five of Barclay’s hedge fund indexes lost ground in June. The Barclay Equity Long Bias Index fell 2.95%, Healthcare and Biotechnology lost 2.62%, the Technology Index was down 2.22%, Equity Long/Short lost 1.78%, and Pacific Rim Equities were down 1.52%.

“Fears of a ‘double-dip’ recession helped drive equity markets lower for a second month,” says Sol Waksman, founder and president of BarclayHedge.

Four hedge fund strategies performed well in June. The Barclay Equity Short Bias Index jumped 4.08%, Fixed Income Arbitrage was up 0.75%, Merger Arbitrage gained 0.60% and the Convertible Arbitrage Index rose 0.31%.

“On the other side of the flight to quality trade, prices for US 10-year Treasuries rose two percent in June as risk-adverse traders sold stocks and then bought bonds with the proceeds,” says Waksman.

The two best performing hedge fund sectors in 2010 are the Distressed Securities Index, up 6.26% after two quarters, and the Fixed Income Arbitrage Index which has gained 5.53%.

“The ongoing rally in bond markets has been the ‘wind behind the sails’ for sectors that are interest rate sensitive,” says Waksman.

The Barclay Fund of Funds Index lost 0.74% in June, and is down 1.34% year-to-date.

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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 was founded in 1985 and actively tracks more than 5,800 hedge funds, funds of hedge funds, and managed futures programs. Each month Barclay provides updated performance rankings for 38 Hedge Fund categories and 16 CTA categories.

Institutional investors, brokerage firms and private banks worldwide utilize BarclayHedge indices as performance benchmarks for the hedge fund and managed futures industries.