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Bailey McCann, Opalesque, New York: Research firm AlphaClone has released new data showing where hedge funds are positioned in equities. According the company, the AlphaClone Hedge Fund Long/Short Index, shows that managers continue to overweight financials, business services, construction and computer/technology companies. Managers have increased exposure to those sectors quarter-over-quarter vs. the S&P 500 due to their cheap prices and projected innovations. The index data comes from mid-May disclosures.

Managers have cut exposures in several sectors including: energy, retail, consumer staples and utilities.  Energy stocks have received the biggest sell signal in the index moving from 2 percentage points underweight the S&P500 in Q4 2011 to over 5 percentage points underweight in Q1 2012.  The index's largest new buys include Delphi Automotive and Pepsico while it sold out of energy companies such as BP, Shell, Caruzo Oil, CVR Energy and Occidental Petroleum. 

Apple continues to dominate equity holdings across funds - a factor which is likely to increase correlation across indexes and strategies. Apple has a 7% weight in the index - double the next two firms at the top - Express Scripts at a 4% weight and Simon Property at a 3% weight. Funds continue to raise concerns over the global economic slowdown as well as energy prices, issues which are reflected in the recent sell off in the energy sector. ......................

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