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8-K - FORM 8-K - GRANT PARK FUTURES FUND LIMITED PARTNERSHIPf8k_121614.htm
EXHIBIT 99.1

 
Grant Park Fund Weekly Commentary
For the Week Ended December 12, 2014
 
Current Month
 
Rolling Performance*
 
Rolling Risk Metrics* (January 2010 – December 2014)
Class
 
Week ROR
MTD
ROR
YTD
ROR
 
1 yr
Ann
ROR
3 yr
Ann
ROR
5 yr
Ann
ROR
10 yr
Ann
ROR
 
Annualized
ROR
Annualized Standard Deviation
Maximum
Drawdown
Sharpe
 Ratio
Sortino Ratio
A
-1.1%
-1.1%
4.8%
 
4.8%
-1.8%
-3.0%
1.1%
 
-3.0%
10.4%
-28.6%
-0.2
-0.4
B**
-1.1%
-1.1%
4.3%
 
4.3%
-2.4%
-3.6%
0.3%
 
-3.6%
10.4%
-29.9%
-0.3
-0.5
Legacy 1***
-1.1%
-1.1%
6.7%
 
6.7%
0.2%
-1.0%
N/A
 
-1.0%
10.3%
-23.7%
0.0
-0.1
Legacy 2***
-1.1%
-1.1%
6.6%
 
6.6%
0.0%
-1.3%
N/A
 
-1.3%
10.3%
-24.4%
-0.1
-0.2
Global 1***
-1.1%
-1.1%
7.3%
 
7.3%
0.8%
-1.3%
N/A
 
-1.3%
9.8%
-21.9%
-0.1
-0.2
Global 2***
-1.1%
-1.1%
7.1%
 
7.1%
0.6%
-1.5%
N/A
 
-1.5%
9.8%
-22.4%
-0.1
-0.2
Global 3***
-1.2%
-1.1%
5.6%
 
5.6%
-1.0%
-3.2%
N/A
 
-3.2%
9.8%
-26.2%
-0.3
-0.4
                             
S&P 500 Total Return Index****
-3.5%
-3.1%
10.5%
 
10.5%
19.3%
14.8%
7.4%
 
14.8%
13.1%
-16.3%
1.1
1.8
Barclays Capital U.S. Long Gov Index****
3.5%
2.6%
24.5%
 
24.5%
4.2%
9.8%
7.5%
 
9.8%
11.1%
-15.5%
0.9
1.7
*
Performance metrics are calculated using month-to-date performance estimates.  All performance data is subject to verification.
**
Units began trading in August 2003.
***
Units began trading in April 2009.
****
Index is unmanaged & is not available for direct investment. Please see Indices Overview (below) for more information. Weekly RORs are calculated
using data acquired through Bloomberg.
 
Portfolio Positions by Sectors and Markets (Two largest positions within each sector)
 
 
Portfolio for A, B and Legacy units
 
Portfolio for Global units
Sector
Sector
 
Market
   
Sector
 
Market
 
Exposure
Position
Contract
Exposure
  Position
 
Exposure
Position
Contract
Exposure
Position
COMMODITIES
23%
         
23%
       
Energy
7%
Short
Heating Oil
2.4%
Short
 
7%
Short
Heating Oil
2.4%
Short
Brent Crude Oil
1.4%
Short
 
Brent Crude Oil
1.4%
Short
Grains/Foods
10%
Short
Sugar
1.9%
Short
 
10%
Short
Sugar
1.9%
Short
Soybeans
1.5%
Long
 
Soybeans
1.5%
Long
Metals
6%
Short
Gold
1.3%
Short
 
6%
Short
Gold
1.3%
Short
Copper
0.9%
Short
 
Copper
1.0%
Short
FINANCIALS
77%
         
77%
       
Currencies
22%
Long $
Euro
5.2%
Short
 
22%
Long $
Euro
5.2%
Short
Japanese Yen
4.1%
Short
 
Japanese Yen
4.1%
Short
Equities
30%
Long
S&P 500
8.5%
Long
 
30%
Long
S&P 500
8.5%
Long
Nikkei 225 Index
2.8%
Long
 
Nikkei 225 Index
2.8%
Long
Fixed Income
25%
Long
U.S. 10-Year Treasury Notes
3.4%
Long
 
25%
Long
U.S. 10-Year Treasury Notes
3.4%
Long
U.S. Treasury Bonds
3.2%
Long
 
U.S. Treasury Bonds
3.2%
Long

 
Market Commentary (Largest price movements within each sector)
 
Sector/Market  
Energy
Crude oil markets declined over 12% to a 5-year low due to the combination of excessive supplies and weak demand.  Natural gas markets finished lower following forecasts for warm temperatures in December.
Grains/Foods
U.S. grains markets rose after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported strong demand for U.S. crops from ethanol producers and international buyers.  Higher prices were also supported by concerns surrounding crop output in Ukraine.  Coffee and sugar prices fell, driven lower after rainfall in Brazil eased recent supply concerns.
Metals
Precious metals markets rallied after large downturns in global equities increased demand for safe-haven assets.  Prices were also supported by beliefs monetary easing would continue in Europe and Asia into 2015.  Copper markets rose almost 1% due to bullish U.S. retail sales and employment data and on speculation China will continue to take actions to stimulate its growth.
Currencies
The Japanese yen rallied sharply against the U.S. dollar amidst concerns surrounding Chinese growth and global equity market weakness which boosted demand for safe-haven currencies.  The yen was also supported by investors who attempted to lock-in profits from recent downtrends.  The U.S. dollar was driven lower by uncertainty surrounding the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting.
Equities
Global equity markets declined sharply, pressured by severe declines in the energy sector, concerns surrounding the growth outlook in Europe and China and by investors liquidating positions to lock-in profits for 2014.
Fixed Income
U.S. Treasury markets rose sharply as equity market declines caused a surge in demand for safe-haven assets.  German Bund prices also moved higher, supported by renewed concerns surrounding the Greek economy.


ALL PERFORMANCE REPORTED IS NET OF FEES AND EXPENSES.  PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. FUTURES TRADING INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK AND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL INVESTORS. FUTURES TRADING INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK, INCLUDING LIQUIDITY RISKS, NO SECONDARY MARKET EXISTS, RESTRICTIONS ON REDEMPTIONS, AND THE RISK OF FOREIGN SECURITIES.  THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY SECURITY FOR SALE.  OFFERING BY PROSPECTUS ONLY.  INFORMATION IN THIS COMMENTARY IS DRAWN FROM VARIOUS SOURCES THAT ARE DEEMED TO BE RELIABLE. HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION IS NOT AUDITED BY DEARBORN CAPITAL.  IN ADDITION, DEARBORN CAPITAL DRAWS UPON THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE ITS OWN ASSUMPTIONS WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED DEARBORN CAPITAL’S OPINION.  DEARBORN CAPITAL BELIEVES THAT ANY SUCH STATEMENTS OF OPINION HAVE A REASONABLE BASIS IN FACT.

 
 
 

 

Performance Chart
 
Barclays Capital U.S. Long Government Index (formerly Lehman Brothers U.S. Government Index:  Long Subset): A benchmark comprised of the Barclays Capital U.S. Treasury and U.S. Agency indices.  The U.S. Long Government Index includes Treasuries (public obligations of the U.S. Treasury that have remaining maturities of more than ten years) and U.S. agency debentures (publicly issued debt of U.S. Government agencies, quasi-federal corporations, and corporate or foreign debt guaranteed by the U.S. Government). The U.S. Government Index is a component of the Barclays Capital U.S. Government Index.

Compounded Annualized Rate of Return (ROR): This is the geometric 12-month mean that assumes the same rate of return for each 12-month period to arrive at the equivalent compound growth rate reflected in the actual return data.

Standard and Poor’s 500 Total Return Index (S&P 500 Index): A weighted index of the 500 stocks in the S&P 500 Index, which are chosen by Standard and Poor’s based on industry representation, liquidity, and stability.  The stocks in the S&P 500 Index are not the 500 largest companies; rather the index is designed to capture the returns of many different sectors of the U.S. economy.  The total return calculation includes the price-plus-gross cash dividend return.


 
Risk Metrics Chart
 
Drawdown: A drawdown is any losing period during an investment’s performance history. It is defined as the percent retrenchment from an equity peak to an equity valley. Maximum drawdown is simply the largest percentage drawdown that has occurred during the specified time frame. Grant Park’s drawdowns are computed based on month-end equity values.

Sharpe Ratio: A return/risk measure defined as the average incremental return of an investment over the risk free rate.

Sortino Ratio: A ratio developed to differentiate between good and bad volatility. The calculation provides a risk-adjusted measure of performance without penalizing for upward price changes.

Standard Deviation: Measures the dispersal or uncertainty in a random variable (in this case, investment returns). It measures the degree of variation of returns around the mean, or average, return. The higher the volatility of the investment returns, the higher the standard deviation will be. For this reason, standard deviation is often used as a measure of investment risk.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ALL PERFORMANCE REPORTED IS NET OF FEES AND EXPENSES.  PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. FUTURES TRADING INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK AND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL INVESTORS. FUTURES TRADING INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK, INCLUDING LIQUIDITY RISKS, NO SECONDARY MARKET EXISTS, RESTRICTIONS ON REDEMPTIONS, AND THE RISK OF FOREIGN SECURITIES.  THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY SECURITY FOR SALE.  OFFERING BY PROSPECTUS ONLY.  INFORMATION IN THIS COMMENTARY IS DRAWN FROM VARIOUS SOURCES THAT ARE DEEMED TO BE RELIABLE. HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION IS NOT AUDITED BY DEARBORN CAPITAL.  IN ADDITION, DEARBORN CAPITAL DRAWS UPON THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE ITS OWN ASSUMPTIONS WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED DEARBORN CAPITAL’S OPINION.  DEARBORN CAPITAL BELIEVES THAT ANY SUCH STATEMENTS OF OPINION HAVE A REASONABLE BASIS IN FACT.