Do L/S hedge fund or asset management actually buy/short stocks or do they just buy an underlying, e.g. spread bet, CFD, etc.?

I am asking because I am trading/investing on my own, and I use spread bet to make trades with time horizon for a few months. Buy/sell stock if time horizon is long term. Is that the right guideline? If yes, do professional fund manager do that as well? What is the optimal method that minimize cost?

Thank you fellow traders/investors.

197 WSO Academy Hedge Fund Session Reviews: 4.78/5

Class of '29 Sep 2026 Cohort

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“My meeting with Kevin Lee was super helpful and went well beyond what I originally expected. We met to discuss my LinkedIn profile, but the conversation also covered the hedge fund space and how I’m thinking about my career as a whole. I really appreciated being able to talk about both how I present myself professionally and the broader direction I want to take. As someone interested in hedge funds but also exploring other paths in finance, it was helpful to have a conversation that connected my profile to my actual interests and goals. Kevin gave me a lot to think about, and I left feeling clearer about my next steps. Overall, I really appreciated his time and willingness to go beyond the original purpose of our meeting.”

Class of '26 Sep 2026 Cohort

4.56/5

Hedge Fund Mock Interview

“He was very responsive and prepared for the meeting. He actually read the JD, resume, and looked up linkedin which sometimes other mentors doesn't actually go over those to prepare things beforehand. I appreciate his direct comments I think it saved time and actually helped me to know exactly where to improve. I also appreciated him admitting if he doesn't know about specific HF strategy. Only thing I'd suggest for him is probably sending actionable key takeaways after the meeting because other mentors did and that was very helpful. ”

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Do L/S hedge fund or asset management actually buy/short stocks or do they just buy an underlying, e.g. spread bet, CFD, etc.?

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Do L/S hedge fund or asset management actually buy/short stocks or do they just buy an underlying, e.g. spread bet, CFD, etc.?

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