Burned by Slump, Commodity Bulls Exit in Search of Better Return

A decade ago, Alan Gayle at RidgeWorth Investments was among the money managers pouring cash into commodities as a way to profit from China’s expanding appetite for energy, metals and food.

Now, with China slowing and global surpluses in everything from crude oil to grains, almost none of Atlanta-based RidgeWorth’s $43 billion is invested in raw materials. And Gayle, the director of asset allocation, has no plans to return anytime soon.