Hedge funds boost global stocks with Asia seeing record buying

Hedge funds increased net purchases across major regions last week, lifting global equity markets and providing support to the S&P 500. Goldman Sachs’ Prime Desk said gross trading activity rose as long purchases outpaced shorts by 1.9 to 1, with both individual stocks and macro products seeing net buying. Asia saw record one‑month percentage net buying — driven almost entirely by long positions — and gross/net allocations to Asian stocks as a share of the Prime Book reached all‑time highs. Nine of 11 global sectors recorded net inflows, led by information technology, while energy and healthcare saw net selling. The flows are broadly bullish for risk assets and helped boost US and global equity indices.