Hedge fund industry assets totaled $2.8 trillion as of Nov. 30, a five-year peak, according to data research specialist eVestment in its most recent hedge fund statistics report.
Barring significant performance problems or outflows in December, eVestment researchers predict that the hedge fund industry will increase by $256 billion in 2013, up from $2.6 trillion on Dec. 31, 2012. By contrast, hedge fund industry assets increased $144 billion in 2012.
The projected big rise in hedge fund assets will be attributable to a total of about $85 billion in net inflows and about $171 billion of performance gains, eVestment's report said.