Dec 30 (Reuters) - Global hedge funds are set to register their worst returns in 14 years in 2022 after aggressive U.S. interest rate rises hit asset prices hard, however, their declines are overall smaller than the slump seen in equity and bond markets this year. Some hedge fund strategies that put money in commodities and currencies using macro-focused strategies and exploited price differences between related securities outperformed in 2022, handing decent gains to investors. According to investment data firm Preqin, hedge fund returns have fallen 6.5% this year, their biggest since a 13% decline in 2008. Strategy-wise, macro funds gained 8.2% through November this year, while equity-hedged and event-driven strategies lost 9.7% and 4.7%, respectively, according to HFR data. Reuters GraphicsAlongside the tumble in traditional assets from equities to bonds, net assets of global hedge funds fell 4.8% in the first three quarters of this year to $4.3 trillion.

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