Hedge funds gained 0.69 per cent in April, according to the Barclay Hedge Fund Index compiled by BarclayHedge.

 
After four consecutive profitable months, the index is now up 3.71 per cent in 2017.
 
This is the best start since 2013 when the Barclay Hedge Fund Index gained 4.74 per cent through April, and also began the year with four profitable months in a row. Over the past 14 months, the index has had 12 months of gains, and only two losses.
 
Fourteen hedge fund indices had gains in April. The Technology Index was up 1.91 per cent, European Equities were up 1.19 per cent, the Event Driven Index gained 1.18 per cent, Equity Long Bias was up 1.14 per cent, and Merger Arbitrage gained 1.05 per cent.
 
“Emmanuel Macron’s victory over the anti-EU candidate in the French presidential election allayed Frexit fears, and the subsequent rally in European equities lead the gains in global markets to its sixth consecutive month," says Sol Waksman (pictured), founder and president of BarclayHedge.
 
Three indices had losses in April. The Global Macro Index was down 0.59 per cent, Pacific Rim Equities lost 0.39 per cent, and Distressed Securities were down 0.22 per cent.
 
Year to date, all 17 of Barclay’s hedge fund indices have gains. In the first four months of 2017, the Technology Index is up 9.04 per cent, Healthcare and Biotechnology has gained 8.20 per cent, and Emerging Markets are up 7.16 per cent. Equity Long Bias has gained 4.39 per cent, European Equities are up 4.33 per cent, and the Event Driven Index has gained 4.24 per cent.
 
The Barclay Fund of Funds Index gained 0.48 per cent in April, and is up 2.47 per cent in 2017.