Hedge funds ramp up leverage to near record highs to juice returns

Hedge funds' use of leverage in equities trading is near record levels after debt-fueled strategies ballooned in recent years and an upturn in financial markets prompted riskier bets, according to two banking sources and recent client notes from major banks. Fresh data compiled by Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, the three largest global prime brokerages, seen by Reuters in notes distributed to a restricted group of clients, show that leverage used to juice up returns is at or close to historical highs, depending on the bank. The use of leverage by hedge funds in recent years has drawn more attention from regulators on the impact it could have on portfolios, markets and banks.

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