The flash estimate for the Barclay CTA Index, compiled by BarclayHedge, indicates a 2.61 per cent gain in January. All of Barclay’s CTA indices enjoyed a positive return in January.

“A seemingly nonstop rally in US equities that extended into its fifteenth consecutive month, coupled with continued price increases in gold, crude oil, and US Treasury yields provided a favourable trading environment for trend-following funds in January,” says Sol Waksman (pictured), founder and president of BarclayHedge.
 
Diversified Traders gained 4.14 per cent to start the year, Systematic Traders were up 3.28 per cent, Financials/Metals Traders gained 2.21 per cent, and Discretionary Traders added 1.15 per cent.
 
The Barclay CTA index ended 2017 on an up note by squeezing out a 0.80 per cent annual gain, but has more than doubled that return in the first month of 2018.
 
The BTOP50 Index, which is composed of the largest CTAs open to new investment, gained 2.73 per cent in January.