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The hedge fund industry demonstrated continued exceptional performance momentum as 2026 got underway, building on what industry observers are calling the strongest annual returns since the 2009 financial crisis. This strong start follows a banner 2025 when the global hedge fund industry posted an average gain of approximately 15 percent, with macro strategies leading the charge.

Former Viking Global Investors portfolio manager Nettimi has delivered gains of more than 20 percent for the third consecutive year, highlighting continued demand for experienced stock pickers spinning out of major hedge fund platforms. The performance underscores the ongoing talent migration from established firms to new ventures, a trend that has accelerated as markets reward concentrated, conviction-driven strategies.

Bridgewater Associates has turned increasingly bullish on Chinese equities following a 45 percent gain in one of its funds. The firm sees improving economic data and easing regulatory pressure as supportive factors for the world's second-largest economy. Bridgewater's flagship Pure Alpha fund gained 33 percent in 2025, marking one of its strongest years in more than a decade, with performance driven by macro trades across rates, currencies, and commodities.