Australian-based absolute return and hedge funds recorded a second consecutive positive month in April of 2.71 per cent, on the back of the ongoing global rally in equity markets.PARA_BREAK_SENTINEL_9f8e7d6c Australian-based absolute return and hedge funds recorded a second consecutive positive month in April of 2.71 per cent, on the back of the ongoing global rally in equity markets. The overall index of single funds returned +3.03 per cent against the ASX200's performance of +5.54 per cent. On a year to date basis, all but two strategies (equity buy/write and real estate) have made positive returns, whilst on a 12 month basis seven strategies, dominated by non-equity strategies, have provided investors positive returns. Taking a longer term view, the cumulative return of all funds in the AFM Index since January 2004 is +52.16 per cent against the ASX200's return over the same period of +15.67 per cent.
Not surprisingly equity based strategies were the best performers, but with the exception of managed futures and market neutral, all single strategies recorded a positive month.
