Hedge funds took advantage of the volatile market and achieved the highest return rate in 16 years.

According to data from industry tracking firm Hedge Fund Research, the hedge fund industry with a size of $5 trillion achieved a return of approximately 12.6% last year, its best performance since 2009. Such impressive performance was due to frequent market volatility driven by the artificial intelligence boom, geopolitical shocks, and interest rate uncertainty, providing ample opportunities for strategies focused on profiting from turbulence. Funds managed by industry giants such as D.E. Shaw & Co., Millennium Management, Citadel, Point72 Asset Management, and Qube Research & Technologies all achieved double-digit returns. Among them, Bridgewater Associates' flagship fund Pure Alpha II, with half a century of history, achieved a historical high return of 34%.