The penultimate edition of our 2012 Asset Class Scoreboard is out, and while the order of the scoreboard hasn’t changed since last month, neither the ranking nor the numbers are what we would like to see. After a fourth consecutive month of sub-zero returns for managed futures, the asset class remains at the bottom of the heap, with the Newedge CTA index having lost -3.07% since the beginning of the year.

US real estate, bonds, and cash joined managed futures, falling slightly between October and November. US stocks, world stocks, hedge funds and commodities all ended the month higher. There may be one month left before we have the final tally on 2012, but we’re ready to put this year’s performance in the past and (hopefully) have a better asset class scoreboard to report next year. (Disclaimer: past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.)

Managed Futures = Newedge CTA Index, Cash = 13 wk T-Bill rate,

Bonds = Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND), Hedge Funds = DJCS Core Hedge Fund Index

Commodities – iShares GSCI ETF (GSG), Real Estate = iShares DJ Real Estate ETF (IYR)

World Stocks = MCSI World Index (ex USA), US Stocks = S&P 500