Hedge fund victims of their own success

Does present poor hedge fund performance cast doubt on the broad validity of the sector or have new investors that flooded into hedge funds recently fallen for myths about their success and failed to see performance in a historical context? What is clear is that attempts to match capacity to demand have at least temporarily undermined some hedge fund strategies.

Investment style profiles

THE HONEYMOON FOR hedge funds is over. Having wowed investors with returns of 11.2% in 2003, 4.14% in 2002, 9.36% in 2001, 13.48% in 2000 and 15.35% in 1999, according to the S&P Hedge Fund Index, the sector will struggle to post double-digit annual returns for 2004 after experiencing its most challenging quarter since 1998.

The S&P index, which represents a broad range of hedge fund strategies, was down 1.59% for the second quarter this year compared with a positive 1.92%

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