RANKED: The 10 biggest hedge funds in the US

Brian Snyder/Reuters

Hedge funds are the wild cards of financial markets. Some sharply criticize their activities, but others say they bring valuable diversity to markets and act as shock absorbers against volatility.

The sector saw it’s best results since 2013 last year, producing an 8.5% return, up from 5.4% in 2016. But despite the stronger outlook, back-to-back losses in recent months caused by trade disputes, tech sector setbacks, and interest-rate hikes by the Federal Reserve have dampened returns.

Even in the midst of these adverse conditions hedge funds are still a formidable power, wielding billions of dollars in assets and significant influence in financial markets.

Here’s a list of the biggest funds in the US, created by intelligence firm HFM and ranked by assets under management (AUM).