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“A combination of trend reversals and downdrafts across the major futures markets made the task of extracting profits more difficult in February,” says Sol Waksman, founder and president of BarclayHedge.

Four of Barclay’s eight CTA indices had negative returns in February, while four indices gained ground. The Diversified Traders Index was down 0.93%, Systematic Traders lost 0.69%, and the Financial & Metal Traders Index slid 0.07%.

“Commodity markets were down, interest rates reversed trend toward the end of the month, and equity trading required getting the country and the direction right in order to come out ahead,” says Waksman.

The Currency Traders Index gained 0.51% in February, Discretionary Traders added 0.11%, and Agricultural Traders were up 0.10%.

“Currency traders had the benefit of the wind to their backs from a rising US Dollar as a gridlocked election in Italy weakened the EUR and concerns over further easing by The Bank of England triggered selling in the GBP,” says Waksman.

The Barclay BTOP50 Index, which measures performance of the largest CTAs, gained 0.18% in February.

All eight CTA strategies monitored by BarclayHedge are in positive territory thus far in 2013. After two months, Diversified Traders are up 1.00%, Currency Traders have gained 0.98%, and Agricultural Traders have added 0.93%.

BarclayHedge

Press Release

BM