Managed futures traders gained 0.35 per cent in December, according to the Barclay CTA Index compiled by BarclayHedge.

Overall, the index lost 1.03 per cent in 2016.
 
Seven of Barclay’s eight CTA indices gained ground in December. The Barclay Financial/Metals Index was up 1.06 per cent, Currency Traders gained 0.45 per cent, Systematic Traders were up 0.45 per cent, Diversified Traders gained 0.37 per cent, and Discretionary Traders added 0.31 per cent.
 
“Although equity, commodity, and interest rate futures gained in December, there was enough dispersion of returns within sectors to keep fund profits at modest levels,” says Sol Waksman (pictured), founder and president of BarclayHedge.
 
The only losing strategy in December was the Agricultural Traders Index, which slipped 0.13 per cent.
 
At the end of 2016, Agricultural Traders were down 2.49 per cent, Diversified Traders lost 2.38 per cent, Systematic Traders were down 1.47 per cent, and Discretionary Traders gave up 0.82 per cent.
 
Two CTA indices had positive returns in 2016. Currency Traders gained 1.73 per cent, and the Financial/Metals Traders Index was up 1.72 per cent.