The risks of hedge funds are embedded in their strategies in the pursuit of high performance. A combination of leverage and dependence on market liquidity makes them vulnerable to financial crises. Their reactions under stress can cause the spread of systemic risk. This is why the indulgent...

Hedge funds significantly reduced their equity holdings during the recent financial crisis. In 2008Q3-Q4, hedge funds sold about 29% of their aggregate portfolio. Redemptions and margin calls were the primary drivers of selloffs. Consistent with forced deleveraging, the selloffs took place in...