Mon, Feb 2, 2026
A A A
Welcome Guest
Free Trial RSS pod
Get FREE trial access to our award winning publications
Industry Updates

Sub-billion dollar funds beat their billion-dollar rivals in August

Thursday, September 16, 2021
Opalesque Industry Update - Hedge funds running less than $1bn gained almost twice as much as their Billion Dollar Club (BDC) rivals in August. In a notably strong month for the emerging funds industry, sub-BDC funds rose 0.8%, compared to 0.5% for funds with more than $1bn.

The global industry averaged a 0.8% gain on a non-weighted basis. Relative value/arbitrage funds (up 2%) and eventdriven (1.4%) drove the gains across all fund sizes. Fixed income and credit lagged, edging forward just 0.2%.

None of the broad strategy groupings declined in a generally very strong month for the industry. Sub-BDC funds are ahead of larger peers on both a year-to-date and 12-month basis.

Event-driven is the top BDC strategy year-to-date, up 13.5% (long-short equity is next, up 12.4%). They returned to form in August after a July wobble sparked by the collapse of the Aon/Willis Towers Watson deal.

The outlook for merger arbitrage improved again in August due to heightened deal activity and welcome regulatory news, according to Man Group.

Long/short equity is the top-performing sub-billiondollar sector so far this year, up 12.5%. Managers in the strategy cut net and gross exposures amid an unsettled market picture last month.

Continuing fears over the Delta variant, central bank policy and Afghanistan fuelled risk sentiment, even as equity indices reached another high. There have also been some strong 12-month numbers among sub-BDC long/short funds, which has boosted the strategy.

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. Other Voices: Life settlements hedge funds are gaining acceptance among institutional investors[more]

    By Donald A. Steinbrugge, CFA - Founder and CEO of Agecroft Partners, a global hedge fund consulting and marketing firm. Over the past decade, life settlements hedge funds have steadily gained acceptance among institutional investors. Their appeal lies in the potential to deliver

  4. 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

  5. Opalesque Exclusive: High-profile fraud dispute hits alternative investment firm[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque: Former Tennis Champion Coco Vandeweghe Sues AC Investment Management for $1 Million+ in Missing Funds In a developing legal dispute that underscores the risks athletes and private clients face in trusting financial managers, professional tennis star Co