Sat, Jul 25, 2026
A A A
Welcome Guest
Free Trial RSS pod
Get FREE trial access to our award winning publications
Industry Updates

CTAs post negative returns in December to finish 2015 flat

Wednesday, January 06, 2016
Opalesque Industry Update - Societe Generale Prime Services announces the December 2015 performance data for its CTA Indices.

Societe Generale also announces that the Newedge Indices have been rebranded to the SG Prime Services Indices, effective immediately. This is part of the integration of Newedge into Societe Generale’s Global Markets division, following the acquisition of Newedge by Societe Generale in May 2014. Given the close alignment of the businesses, the industry-leading benchmarks will now operate under SG Prime Services branding as they play a critical role in the business’s prime services activity. The SG Prime Services Indices are available on the Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking website at: https://cib.societegenerale.com/en/sg-prime-services-indices/

In December, CTA strategies posted negative returns across the board to end a volatile year. The headline SG CTA index was down -1.29% in December resulting in a flat performance for the year. Trend following strategies, as shown by the SG Trend Index, were down -2.08% during the month to also end the year flat. The Short Term Traders Index returned -2.61% to finish the year down -5.07%.

Performance attribution from the SG Trend Indicator shows a mixed performance across sectors. Short positioning in the energy complex contributed to a strong performance of +1.41% in the commodity sector. The other asset classes were broadly flat in December, with some slightly positive, some negative. Overall, sector returns for the year were diverse, led by Currencies & Equity Indices (+1.56% & +0.31% respectively), compared to Commodities, Bonds, and Interest Rates (-6.67%, -1.09%, -0.07%).

James Skeggs, Global Head of Alternative Investments Consulting at Societe Generale Prime Services, said:

“Losses in December saw the end to a frustrating year in 2015 for CTA strategies. Strong gains from Q1 were given back in Q2, to then be followed by a series of alternating positive and negative months during the second half to end the year with flat performance.

We are delighted that the CTA indices will now operate under the Societe Generale brand. This is an important reflection of the success of the integration of our Prime Services business into the larger Global Markets proposition of SG since the acquisition in 2014.”

What do you think?

   Use "anonymous" as my name    |   Alert me via email on new comments   |   
Previous Opalesque Exclusives                                  
Previous Other Voices                                               
Access Alternative Market Briefing

 



  • Top Forwarded
  • Top Tracked
  • Top Searched
  1. Other Voices: Nvidia extraordinary growth and the challenge of sustaining demanding valuations over time[more]

    Antonio Di Giacomo, Senior Market Analyst at XS.com, writes: Nvidia has established itself as one of the most extraordinary growth companies in the global technology sector. Over the past two fiscal years, its revenues have risen from levels close to $60 billion annually to well above $120 billi

  2. Secondaries take center stage: What the 2026 PE landscape means for GPs and investors[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque for New Managers: The 2026 edition of Dechert's Global Private Equity Outlook - "Signs of a Gradual Thaw" - marks a notable shift in industry sentiment. After years of compr

  3. And, finally: Time to share it with the people[more]

    From Newsoftheweird: Leavenworth, Washington, has become a tourist destination because of the Bavarian theme businesses have adopted there, NPR reported. One shop, the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, houses the world's largest nutcracker collection, thanks to 101-year-old Arlene Wagner. Wagner sta

  4. Opalesque Exclusive: Private Markets Evergreen Funds - An Insider's View[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque for New Managers: Private Markets Evergreen Funds: What Investors Need to Know Before They Dive In The democratization of private markets is well underway. Structural barriers t

  5. Opalesque Exclusive: Governance, Scale, and Boutique Resilience in a Consolidating Hedge Fund Industry[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque for New Managers: The hedge fund industry has undergone significant consolidation in recent years, with capital increasingly concentrated among large multi-strategy platforms. Yet boutique m