Hedge fund returns are up for the ninth straight month, gaining 0.88 percent in March, according to flash estimates from the Barclay Hedge Fund Index.
“Equity prices in most developed countries fared well in March, as national indices rose in all major markets except Japan and Ireland,” said Sol Waksman, founder and president of The Barclay Group. “Fears of a hedge fund blow-up stemming from problems in the US sub-prime lending sector seem to have been unfounded.”
Since July of 2006, the Barclay Hedge Fund Index has gained 9.43 percent, an average of slightly more than 1.00 percent monthly return for the past nine months.
“Although US equities have outperformed hedge funds during the past three quarters, 13.53 percent versus 9.43 percent, hedge funds provided a higher risk-adjusted return as measured by Sharpe Ratio, 3.56 versus 2.71,” said Waksman.