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Nassim Taleb-Advised Universa Tail Fund Returned 3,600% in March

  • CIO says in letter fund locked in gains while keeping hedge
  • Universa warns central bank stimulus may be ‘destructive’
Nassim Taleb

Nassim Taleb

Photographer: Scott Eells/Bloomberg

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A tail-risk hedge fund advised by Nassim Taleb, author of “The Black Swan,” returned 3,612% in March, paying off massively for clients who invested in it as protection against a plunge in stock prices.

The fund, managed by Universa Investments of Miami, had a year-to-date return of 4,144% through the end of last month, according to an investor letter from President and Chief Investment Officer Mark Spitznagel that was obtained by Bloomberg. He said Universa was able to cash in many of its positions, locking in the gains, while also keeping in place protection against more equity sell-offs, “one of the tricks of the trade.”