The Economics and Finance of Hedge Funds: A Review of the Academic Literature

The Economics and Finance of Hedge Funds updates an earlier review by the authors. It includes reviews of recent studies on topics that were covered in the earlier survey, and summarizes research on new topics that were not part of the previous survey. These new topics cover a broad gamut of issues, ranging from hedge funds' use of leverage and exposure to different risks to their impact on various asset markets. The Economics and Finance of Hedge Funds consists of five broad sections. The first section reviews the literature examining both the time-series and cross-sectional variation in hedge fund performance. Time-series performance studies cover return generating processes, dynamic risk exposures, and determination of managerial skill. The second section covers studies focused on the cross-sectional relations between hedge funds' characteristics (including contractual features and time-varying features such as size and age) and fund performance. The third section analyzes the literature on the sources and nature of risks faced by hedge fund investors. In particular, the authors discuss risks that can arise from managerial incentives and sources of capital. The fourth section summarizes research on the role of hedge funds in the financial system. Specific topics here include hedge funds' impact on systemic risk, asset prices, and liquidity provision in financial markets. The fifth and final section focuses on potential biases and limitations of hedge fund data sources.