MSCI Hedge Fund Index Returns -0.6% in May

NEW YORK (HedgeWorld.com)–Hedge funds in the MSCI Hedge Fund Index continued on their downward slide with a return of negative 0.6% in May, bringing year-to-date returns through May to 1.5%, according to preliminary data.

The index had been down 1.1% in April after preliminary returns came in at negative 1.3% (see Previous HedgeWorld Story).

The best-performing MSCI category was the MSCI Specialist Credit Index, which was flat in May and was up 3.9% through the first five months of the year. That index includes distressed securities funds, long/short credit funds and private placement funds. April’s performance was 0.5%, down from the preliminary result of 1%.

The worst performing for the month and year was the MSCI Directional Trading Index, which includes futures, global macro and tactical asset allocation funds. The index returned negative 1% in May and was down 0.5% year-to-date through May. April’s final return was negative 4.1%, up slightly from the preliminary figure of negative 4.2%.

The MSCI Multi-Process Group and MSCI Relative Value Indexes both returned negative 0.4% in May. The Multi-Process category, made up of event-driven and multi-process hedge funds, returned 3% year-to-date through May after its April return was revised to negative 0.8% from negative 0.7%. The Relative Value index returned 1.2% through May.