The Return in Hedge-Fund Strategies

Abstract:     
This paper deeply examines the difference between traditional and absolute return hedge funds. It also described the development and characteristic of hedge funds as well as the different types of hedge fund investments. In addition, it also surveys some of the pitfalls that investors face when they try to make investment decisions using hedge fund data from commercial sources. Although hedge funds are often branded as a separate asset class, a point can be made that hedge fund managers are simply asset managers utilizing other strategies than those used by relative return (long-only) managers. The major difference between the two is the definition of their return objective: Hedge funds aim for absolute returns by balancing investment opportunities and risk of financial loss. Long-only managers, by contrast, define their return objective in relative terms.

Keywords: Hedge fund, Portfolio management

JEL Classifications: G1, G11, G12

Accepted Paper Series