Equity hedge funds have lost their gains for the year.

Global Stock Markets Plunge After U.S. Tariff Announcements by President Donald Trump

The global equity markets saw a sharp decline following the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump announcing broad-based tariffs.

Specifically, international equity hedge funds posted a 1.7% loss last Thursday, bringing their year-to-date decline to 1.6%. This marks the second major drop within a month, following a 1.5% decline on March 10.

According to Goldman Sachs, hedge funds are now experiencing their worst losses in five years. Despite this, their leverage levels remain near the highest point observed during that period. The tariffs implemented by the U.S. are exerting strong pressure on global financial markets, prompting investors to seek safe-haven assets. As a result, both the U.S. dollar and U.S. equities experienced sharp declines, with the S&P 500 dropping 4.16% and the Nasdaq falling 5.3%.

These developments are creating significant challenges for hedge funds and further contributing to market volatility.

Source: Reuters.com