New York (HedgeCo.Net) – The Eurekahedge North America Hedge Fund Index was up 2.25% in the first quarter of 2014, outperforming the S&P 500 index which gained 1.30% over the same period.

Hedge funds are up 0.87% in Q1 2014, with fund managers delivering performance-based gains of US$21 billion and recording net asset inflows of US$38 billion over this period – bringing the current AUM of the global hedge fund industry to US$2.07 trillion, a new record high.

Other highlights from the report include:

• Long/short equities funds record their 16th consecutive month of positive net asset flows, with net capital allocations to the strategy for Q1 2014 at US$38.5 billion and total assets in long/short equities hedge funds standing at US$704.6 billion – nearing close to their historical high of US$756 billion reached in December 2007.
• Distressed debt hedge funds have managed to stay in the black for the past nine months, with the highest quarterly return among all strategic mandates at 2.76%.
• Investors continued to jump ship from CTA/managed futures hedge funds which posted their 10th consecutive month of net asset outflows in March, and have seen redemptions worth US$5.3 billion in the first quarter of the year.
• Japan investing hedge funds recorded their third consecutive month of negative returns, down 1.91% in the first quarter though managers have outperformed the Tokyo Topix by almost 6% over this period.

Total assets in North American hedge funds reached a new high of US$1.39 trillion with assets growing by US$33.2 billion in the first quarter of the year on account of strong performance-based gains and capital allocations in the month of February.

Total assets in European hedge funds now stand at U$476.2 billion, surpassing their historical high of US$473 billion reached in October 2007. Assets under management have grown by US$21.8 billion in the first quarter of 2014 as the region recorded its 16th consecutive month of positive asset inflows.

Alex Akesson
Editor for HedgeCo.net
alex@hedgeco.net
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