Macro hedge funds end 2022 on high, many others lose big, investors say

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Some hedge funds that bet on macroeconomic trends boasted eye-popping double and even triple digit gains for 2022, investors said, while other prominent firms that were long on technology stocks got clobbered with deep losses in volatile markets.

Rokos Capital, run by Chris Rokos and one of a handful of so-called global macro firms, gained 51% last year. Brevan Howard Asset Management, the firm Rokos once worked for, posted a gain of 20.14% and Caxton Associates returned 16.73%, investors in the funds said this week, asking not to be identified.

Haidar Capital Management's Haidar Jupiter Fund surged 193%, an investor said.

Many macro managers sidestepped tumbling equity markets rocked by fast-paced interest rate hikes and geopolitical turmoil including the war in Ukraine to rank among the hedge fund industry's best performers, data from Hedge Fund Research show. The firm's macro index gained 14.2% while the overall hedge fund index dropped 4.25%, its first loss since 2018.

Equity hedge funds, where the bulk of the industry's roughly $3.7 trillion in assets are invested, however fared worse with a 10.4% loss, according to HFR data. While that beat the broader stock market S&P 500 index' 19.4% loss, some prominent funds posted even bigger losses.

Tiger Global Management lost 56% while Whale Rock Capital Management ended the year with a 43% loss and Maverick Capital lost 23%. Coatue Management ended 2022 with a 19% loss.

But not all firms that bet on technology stocks suffered. John Thaler's JAT Capital ended the year with a 3.7% gain after fees following a 33% gain in 2021 and a 46% gain in 2020.

Sculptor Capital Management (NYSE:SCU), where founder Dan Och had battled the firm's current chief executive in court over his rising pay, posted a 13% drop. Sculptor announced in November that its board had formed a special committee to explore potential interest from third parties.

David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital, which bet that Elon Musk would be forced to buy Twitter, ended the year with a 37% gain while Rick Sandler's Eminence Capital was up 7%. Axon Capital, where founder Dinakar Singh bet service company stocks linked to travel and leisure would gain in 2021 after the COVID lockdown, gained 15% in 2022 after a 24% gain in 2021.

A number of so-called multi-manager firms where teams of portfolio managers make bets on a variety of sectors also boasted positive returns and were able to make good on promises that hedge funds can deliver better returns in tumbling markets.

Balyasny's Atlas (NYSE:ATCO) Enhanced fund gained 9.7% while Point72 Asset Management was up 10%. Millennium Management gained 12% while Carlson Capital ended the year with a 7% gain.

Representatives for the firms either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment.