How bad will hedge funds’ year-end performance figures look?

According to Credit Suisse/Tremont, funds fell 6.30 percent in October after a 6.55 percent drop in September, taking losses for the first ten months to 15.54 percent.

Seven strategies are now nursing double-digit losses, with only two — managed futures and dedicated short bias — in positive territory.

Even global macro, which bets on the likes of global equity markets, world currencies, sovereign debt and commodities, is now back in the red. These funds are down 7.10 percent after substantial losses in September and October.

Many investors who have not already pulled out their money will be keenly watching year-end figures as they review their portfolios.

The last time hedge funds lost money over a calendar year, according to Hedge Fund Research, was in 2002 when they fell 1.45 percent.

The questions for hedge funds are how bad will it look in 2008, and will it be any better in 2009?