Hedge funds have faced over $6 billion in losses this year by betting against US cruise lines and hotels, underestimating the resilience of American consumers, according to the Financial Times.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd and Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL), two of the S&P 500's most heavily shorted companies, have more than doubled in value this year, defying short sellers' expectations.
The unexpected rally in cruise lines and holiday accommodations has resulted in $6.4 billion of mark-to-market losses. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line accounted for $2.9 billion of these losses, while large short positions in Airbnb and Booking.com have also hit hedge funds hard, the FT noted.
Many investors began the year anticipating a recession, avoiding sectors vulnerable to a downturn in consumer spending.
However, the economy has remained robust despite higher interest rates, boosting confidence in a "soft landing".
Cruise lines, which accumulated debt during the pandemic, have seen a return to profitability or reduced losses, and rising revenues have allowed them to start reducing their debt, though some analysts still consider companies like Carnival to be highly leveraged.