Barclay Hedge Fund Index Down 1.18% in September; Prices Decline and Volatility Increases in Equity and Credit Markets

FAIRFIELD, Iowa, October 20, 2014 — Hedge funds lost 1.18% in September, according to the Barclay Hedge Fund Index compiled by BarclayHedge. At the end of three quarters in 2014 the Index remains up 3.10%.

“Anticipation of Fed tightening and ECB loosening poured cold water on equity markets and drove US interest rates higher on the month,” says Sol Waksman, founder and president of BarclayHedge.

“Protests in Hong Kong, the close vote for Scottish independence, and the prospect of the US going back to war in the Mideast added to investor jitters and price volatility.”

Overall, 11 of Barclay’s 18 hedge fund indices had losses in September. The Event Driven Index was down 2.64%, Emerging Markets lost 2.46%, Distressed Securities gave up 2.35%, and the Equity Long Bias Index was down 2.07%.

On the positive side, Global Macro was up 1.54%, Equity Short Bias gained 1.42%, Pacific Rim Equities were up 0.67%, and the European Equities Index added 0.58%.

After three quarters, the best performing hedge fund strategy is Healthcare & Biotechnology, with a 12.25% gain. Fixed Income Arbitrage is up 5.28%, the Multi Strategy Index is up 3.99%, and Distressed Securities have gained 3.58%.

Only two BarclayHedge indices have losses in 2014. Equity Short Bias is down 10.95%, and the Technology Index has lost 2.58%.

The Barclay Fund of Funds Index lost 0.03% in September, but is up 2.18% in 2014.

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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.