The flash estimate for the Barclay CTA Index, compiled by BarclayHedge, indicates a 0.19 per cent loss in September. Year to date, the Index is down 1.53 per cent.

“The US economy continues to strengthen in spite of pervasive trade war fears and continued Fed monetary tightening, while other countries have chosen to keep their rates low,” says Sol Waksman, founder and president of BarclayHedge. “These contradictory monetary policies have created unpredictable crosscurrents and trend changes in futures prices.”
 
Eight of Barclay’s managed futures indices had losses in September, while only one had a gain.
 
Cryptocurrency Traders gave up 2.68 per cent, the MPI Barclay Elite Systematic Traders Index lost 0.62 per cent, Systematic Traders were down 0.56 per cent, Agriculturals Traders lost 0.37 per cent, and the Diversified Traders Index gave up 0.44 per cent.
 
The Discretionary Traders Index had the only gain in September, achieving a 0.22 per cent return.
 
The BTOP50 Index, which is composed of the largest CTAs open to new investment, had an estimated 0.08 per cent gain in September, but was down 2.31 per cent for the year.
 
Through September, six of Barclay’s Managed Futures indices have losses, while three have gains.
 
The Cryptocurrency Traders Index is down 49.39 per cent for the year, with seven months of losses nullifying two months of gains. Financial and Metals Traders have lost 3.49 per cent, Diversified Traders are down 2.71 per cent, and the Systematic Traders Index has given up 2.48 per cent.
 
On the positive side, Currency Traders have gained 3.86 per cent in 2018, the Discretionary Traders Index is up 1.88 per cent, and Agricultural Traders have a 0.87 per cent return.