The managed futures industry cut its monthly loss to -0.13% in December, following a -1.33% loss a month earlier, according to the Barclay CTA Index, compiled by BarclayHedge. CTAs were in positive territory for the year, however, posting a 7.33% return for 2022, riding a string of gains in eight of the past 12 months.
The managed futures industry cut its monthly loss to -0.13% in December, following a -1.33% loss a month earlier, according to the Barclay CTA Index, compiled by BarclayHedge. CTAs were in positive territory for the year, however, posting a 7.33% return for 2022, riding a string of gains in eight of the past 12 months.
The majority of managed futures subsectors suffered losses in December, though three posted modest monthly gains. The Currency Traders Index advanced 0.42%, the Discretionary Traders Index gained 8 basis points and the Agricultural Traders Index was up 3 basis points.
Subsectors retreating in December included the Cryptocurrency Traders Index, down -2.53%, the Systematic Traders Index, off -0.32%, the MPI Barclay Elite Systematic Traders Index, losing -0.15%, the Diversified Traders Index, down -0.16%, and the Financial & Metal Traders Index, retreating -0.16%.
All CTA subsectors but one gained ground in 2022. Among them, the MPI Barclay Elite Systematic Traders Index returned 16.88%, the Diversified Traders Index advanced 10.08%, the Currency Traders Index gained 9.78%, the Discretionary Traders Index was up 8.64% and the Systematic Traders Index returned 7.86%. The last time the Currency Traders Index performed so well was almost twenty years ago in 2003. The MPI Barclay Elite Systematic Traders Index had its best year in the last 14 years.
The Barclay BTOP50 Index, which tracks the performance of the largest CTAs open for new investment, was down -0.68% in December, but finished the year up 13.78%.
Alone in posting a loss for the year was the Cryptocurrency Traders Index, which lost -47.36% in 2022.
