Being the largest is not a guarantee that your funds will always rise, seems to be the lesson from the less than stellar performance of Bridgewater Associates’ Pure Alpha II Fund. Pure Alpha dropped by 2.5% during the first half of 2017, disappointing managers and investors alike.
The Pure Alpha Fund’s drop can be compared to the gain of 3.7 percent for the HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index. This index fund tracks the greater hedge fund industry at large.
Looking at the bigger picture, which is anyway more relevant for pension funds, the 12-month period ending in June 2017 saw a net gain of 13.3 percent. Pension funds typically operate on a fiscal year which starts on July 1.
Bridgewater is the largest hedge fund in the world, and is a good indicator of how the industry is doing in general. Pure Alpha II is managed by Ray Dalio, the founder and head of Bridgewater. Alon with Dalio, Robert Prince and Greg Jensen hold the title of co-chief investment officer.