Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Latin America (+7.04%), high yield (5.63%), and Asia-Pacific (+5.06%) strategies dominated hedge fund performance in January, data provider Hennesee Fund Research said. The bottom three strategies for the month were short biased (-2.17%), merger arbitrage (+0.07%) and multiple arbitrage (+0.11%).
For the year, things have started out the same as 2016, as Latin American (+7.04%) continues to lead all strategies while short biased (-2.17%) brings up the rear.
"The Hennessee Hedge Fund Index gained +1.96% for the month (+1.96% YTD)," the report said and added, "The first month of 2017 has been dominated by political headlines, with the inauguration of President Trump followed by a flurry of executive orders and memoranda. There have been a wide range of political flashpoints, from immigration to trade; however, the immediate market implications have been hard for investors to interpret. Despite the political noise, economic data has remained robust."
The global manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reached 52.7 in December 2016, its highest level since February 2014, and a reading usually associated with global GDP growth of 3-3.5%. This economic backdrop has helped move equities higher in January.
Comparatively, the S&P 500 rose +1.79%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased +0.62%, and the NASDAQ Composite Index gained +4.30% in January. Bonds were barel...................... To view our full article Click here
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