“Rising stock markets were the ‘wind behind the sails’ for equity-based hedge fund strategies which, by assets under management, comprise the largest sector of the hedge fund universe,” stated Sol Waksman, founder and president of The Barclay Group.

Stock markets rose across the United States, Europe and Japan last month, but the real driver of last month's hedge fund performance was in emerging market equities, which gained 4.14% in November and are in the black by 18.21% year-to-date, according to the Barclay’s Emerging Markets Index.

Last month, the Barclay/GHS Hedge Fund Index fell by 1.35%, but overall the Index is up 8.36% for the year and Mr Waksman believes this figure could breach 10% by the end of the year.

“In spite of disappointing results in October, robust returns in November may have put hedge funds back on track for double-digit returns by year-end,” Mr Waksman commented.

All but 2 of Barclay’s 18 hedge fund indices showed gains in November. In addition to Emerging Markets, the Technology Index rose 3.78 percent, Equity Long Bias gained 2.83 percent, and the Healthcare and Biotechnology Index was up 2.75 percent. Equity Short Bias was the main loser, dropping 3.84 percent.