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Women-Led Hedge Funds More Successful finds Report

By: GWL Team | Monday, 6 November 2023

BlackRock’s recent report stated a significant correlation between gender parity in companies and enhanced profits, marking a remarkable 29% increase over the past decade. Notably, enterprises with a robust representation of women in middle management sectors demonstrated a distinct advantage, generating 0.36% higher monthly returns compared to those with low female representation.

In the financial space, October witnessed a standout performance by computer-led equity hedge funds compared to human stock-pickers. The systematic long/short funds, driven by computer algorithms, surged impressively by 4.97%, whereas the fundamental long/short funds faced a decline of 0.66%.

The success of systematic funds lies in their asset selection strategies, ability to navigate market volatility, and specific trades. Conversely, the fundamental long/short funds faced challenges due to exposure to stock indexes, especially with the MSCI world stocks dropping by 2.90% in October.

Goldman Sachs data painted a clear picture of the year-to-date hedge fund performance, outlining the dominance of systematic long/short funds with a 15.06% gain, surpassing the 3.14% profits of fundamental long/short funds.

The general trend across various hedge funds pointed to a strategic selling of stocks in October, a pattern consistent with previous months. Moreover, predictions signalled forthcoming declines in stocks within sectors such as energy, financials, consumer discretionary, and information technology.

The report’s revelation regarding gender parity and corporate profits not only emphasizes the pivotal role of women in driving financial success but also the necessity for inclusivity.

Concurrently, the financial sphere’s reliance on computer-led strategies echoes the growing significance of algorithmic trading in navigating market conditions. The continuous selling of stocks and predicted sector declines reflect the ongoing market dynamics and the cautious outlook amidst a challenging economic landscape.

Overall, the report emphasizes the pivotal roles of women and technology in shaping the trajectory of both corporate profitability and the financial sector's investment strategies.