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When it pays to follow the crowd: Strategy conformity and CTA performance

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  • Nicolas P. B. Bollen
  • Mark C. Hutchinson
  • John O'Brien

Abstract

Prior research in hedge fund and mutual fund management finds a positive relation between portfolio distinctiveness and subsequent performance, suggesting that strategy differentiation is associated with superior skill. We find that commodity trading advisors (CTAs) with returns that correlate more strongly with those of peers feature higher performance and are more highly exposed to a time series momentum factor. Strategy conformity appears to be a signal of managerial skill in CTAs, in contrast to hedge funds and mutual funds. These results indicate that a common trend following strategy drives CTA returns and that CTAs offer investors an opportunity to invest in momentum.

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  • Nicolas P. B. Bollen & Mark C. Hutchinson & John O'Brien, 2021. "When it pays to follow the crowd: Strategy conformity and CTA performance," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(6), pages 875-894, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jfutmk:v:41:y:2021:i:6:p:875-894
    DOI: 10.1002/fut.22199
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    Cited by:

    1. Hutchinson, Mark C. & Kyziropoulos, Panagiotis E. & O’Brien, John & O’Reilly, Philip & Sharma, Tripti, 2022. "Technical trading rule profitability in currencies: It’s all about momentum," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).

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