FAIRFIELD, Iowa, May 14, 2013 — Hedge funds gained 0.75% in April, according to the Barclay Hedge Fund Index compiled by BarclayHedge. The Index is up 4.96% year to date.
“Equity markets rose again in April on indications of continued easing early in the month and positive earnings reports later in the month,” says Sol Waksman, founder and president of BarclayHedge.
Overall, 15 of Barclay’s 18 hedge fund strategies had positive returns in April. The Barclay Pacific Rim Equities Index continued its strong performance, adding 4.39%. Pacific Rim Equities now have eight straight months of gains, and are up 13.50% in the first four months of 2013.
“The stated goal of the BOJ to double its monetary base in the next two years has weakened the yen and made Japanese exports more competitive in the global market,” says Waksman. “Since Japan is an export economy, a weak yen is good for business."
The Distressed Securities Index gained 1.58% in April, Global Macro rose 1.46%, Emerging Markets were up 1.22%, and the Healthcare & Biotechnology Index added 1.17%.
“Weak GDP growth in China drove commodity prices lower,” says Waksman. “Interest rates in the US and Europe moved lower as well and credit spreads continued to narrow.”
The Barclay Fund of Funds Index gained 0.60% in April, and is up 3.96% year to date.
The Equity Short Bias Index dropped 4.59% in April and has lost 13.30% in the first four months of 2013. Equity Market Neutral was down 0.89%, and the Technology Index gave up 0.72%.
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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 6,200 hedge funds, funds of hedge funds, and managed futures programs. Each month Barclay provides updated performance rankings for 38 Hedge Fund categories, 16 CTA categories, and 7 UCITS categories.
Institutional investors, brokerage firms, and private banks worldwide utilize BarclayHedge indices as performance benchmarks for the hedge fund and managed futures industries.