HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_024175.jpg
Extracted Text (OCR)
Hedge funds
UBS View Prefer Relative value and Event-driven
° We expect hedge funds (HF) to offer positive asymmetric returns characteristics vs. the S&P 500 due to
active management and stop-loss strategies. (HF were down 1.9% in May 2012 vs MSCI world at -8.5%)
¢ Decelerating global growth prospects, the next leg in the ongoing Eurozone crisis, is challenging mostly
equity long-short managers, who are net-long the market. While event-driven managers share some of
the performance drivers, idiosyncratic bets (event) reduce the exposure to markets. The real reason to own
this strategy, however, is the potential for out-sized return in distressed, high yield and other credit
investments as the Eurozone crisis plays out. The inherent hedging in relative-value should remain
appealing. Credit relative-value managers should perform well in this environment of higher fixed income
volatility and increasing pricing anomalies created by central bank interventions (OT2) and limited
competition.
A Positive scenario Prefer Equity long-short
e A reduction of uncertainty (e.g. resolution in Europe) lowers equities’ correlation and volatility. This
helps bottom-up fundamental analysis and equity long/short managers the most. Also, CEOs will likely
make more corporate transactions that can be monetized by event-driven managers, and a clearer
macroeconomic environment with more persistent trends would be supportive for macro managers
‘Negative scenario Prefer Trading (Global Macro + CTA)
e A 2011-type scenario in which hedge fund managers get whipsawed through the year with risk-on and
risk-off circumstances, driven by a multitude of political interventions, is difficult to anticipate. That would
impact long-short managers, event-driven, and to a lesser extent global macro managers.
Note: Scenarios refer to global economic scenarios (see slide 7)
What we're watching Why it matters
Global equity direction The outlook for global equities becomes an important HF performance driver.
/ economic cycle The economic cycle impacts the strategies differently.
Correlation Correlation among pair-stocks; an important performance/alpha driver for
equity long/short, the largest HF strategy by assets under management.
Leverage Gross and net leverage are key to monitoring risk.
Volatility The direction influences certain HF strategies (e.g. convertible arbitrage).
Liquidity Particularly for large HF that are less nimble to enter and exit their strategies
Regulation Volcker's rule, USCITS III/IV
36 UBS
Recommendations
Strategic (1 to 2 years)
Active risk management is instrumental for
capital preservation during adverse market
conditions. At the moment, we therefore
favor relative value and event-driven
strategies, since they are less hinged to
equity markets and other risky assets than
trading is.
Value proposition: Hedge funds should
achieve robust performance over an
extended horizon, while displaying limited
volatility vis-a-vis equities and other risky
assets, in general. Hedge funds minimize
downside losses in adverse market
conditions (e.g. active risk management)
and play a crucial role in wealth
appreciation, since there is less ground to
regain in the recovery phase and
ultimately greater chances for superior
long-term returns.
Performance (year-to-date)
Relative value
Event driven
Equity hedge
Hedge Funds
Trading
1.0% 0.5% 0.0% 05% 1.0% 15% 20% 25% 3.0% 3.5% 40%
Source: HFRI, UBS CIO, as of 18 June 2012
Note: Past performance is not an indication of future returns.
40
For further information please contact CIO's asset class specialist Cesare Valeggia, cesare.valeggia@ubs.com
Please see important disclaimer and disclosures at the end of the document.
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_024175
Extracted Information
Email Addresses
Document Details
| Filename | HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_024175.jpg |
| File Size | 0.0 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 85.0% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 3,745 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-04T16:53:24.320304 |