Early reporting funds to the Eurekahedge databases suggest a flat to negative month for hedge funds across the board, this August, owing to credit fears and high market volatility.
Arbitrage players, though, benefiting from the volatility, turned in returns of 0.3 percent, for the month.
Equity markets, after falling sharply during the first half of the month, made a healthy recovery during the latter half, however, long / short equity managers, largely owing to the trendless pattern (and the extent) of volatility, were down 2.1 percent for the month.
Hedge funds in Greater China, returned a healthy 1.1 percent (largely benefiting from rallying equities), while the emerging markets on the whole, were down 2.2 percent. North American managers, who were among the least negative for the month, were down 1.2 percent, making gains from Arbitrage (0.5 percent) and Relative Value (1.4%percent) plays.