Hedge funds ended August in marginally negative territory as stocks lost ground and commodities slid on weak economic data, suggesting a slower pace of economic growth, a report by Lipper says.

Hedge funds fell 0.20 per cent in August, according to the Lipper Hedge Fund Composite Index.

August’s loss brought the year-to-date loss to 1.40 per cent.

Managed futures (+1.29 per cent) was the best performing strategy for the month, while options arbitrage (+0.78 per cent) was the runner-up. Managed futures was the only strategy finishing the month of August in positive territory. Managers were able to capitalise on long positions in fixed income, due to yield curves continuing to flatten on both sides of the Atlantic, and short exposures to commodities

At the bottom of the performance league table dedicated short-bias (-1.90 per cent) was the worst performing strategy at the end of the month.