The Lost Decade for Hedge Funds: Three Threats

The Lost Decade for Hedge Funds: Three Threats

Joseph McCahery, F. Alexander de Roode

Series number :

Serial Number: 
486/2019

Date posted :

December 17 2019

Last revised :

December 17 2019
SSRN Share

Keywords

  • Hedge Funds • 
  • liquid alternatives • 
  • portfolio allocation • 
  • alternative investment strategies

The last decade has challenged the paradigm of the hedge fund industry as a unique performer. We identify three main factors that have affected the operation of hedge funds: competition from mutual funds, the market environment, and tighter regulation.

Recent trends in the financial industry have moved asset managers closer to hedge funds by introducing similar underlying strategies, such as liquid alternative funds, to directly compete with hedge funds. We find that such strategies can achieve performance similar to that of hedge funds, thus introducing more competition for hedge funds. Moreover, we find that several hedge fund styles that have traditionally worked well in crisis times—even in the last decade—are also strategies that can be replicated by liquid alternatives. Together with tighter regulation and a strong market environment, these developments continue to put pressure on the hedge fund industry. Our empirical findings add to the existing debate on the performance of hedge funds and the direct competition from liquid alternatives.

Authors

Real name:
F. Alexander de Roode
Research Member
Tilburg University Faculty of Law and Tilburg Law and Economics Center