Market movements related to the new Fed guidance had a differentiated impact on hedge fund strategies. CTAs underperformed last week as a result of their long fixed income and short USD positions. Meanwhile, Global Macro managers outperformed.

This week was uneventful for most hedge fund strategies amid low trading volumes, few market catalysts and limited changes in risk assets' prices. The Lyxor Hedge Fund index was flat. Merger Arbitrage and Global Macro funds were the two exceptions.

After a glorious and rather calm summer, characterised by a broad-based rally by risky assets, range trading by govies and declines in risk perception and volatility, which we examined last week, we now propose to run through the exposure of the main categories of institutional investors. Did they surf on the August wave?

Meridiam and CNP Assurances announced today the closing of the Meridiam Transition fund, with 425 million euros raised in six months from French institutional investors. This fund will finance and support infrastructure projects dedicated to environmental and energy transitions.

The Lyxor Hedge Fund index was up a healthy +0.7% since the beginning of August, with progress in most strategies, supported by the positive performance of risky assets. The Bank of England's activism and the Brexit timeline getting pushed back contributed toward easing investors' fears. Meanwhile, a patient Fed kept the dollar and yields under pressure.