Colin Mclean, SVM Asset Management

Until recently many long/short funds performed well with a consistently long bias, but the environment has changed. The breakdown in quant models and many traditional relationships has called into question the value of pairs trades and index futures positions.

The key skill for short positions is developing a trading strategy to address the main risk. Shorts can suffer sharp adverse price moves, as an unexpected event triggers a scramble to close a crowded trade. In running a short position