By Nell MackenzieLONDON, July 27 (Reuters) - Hedge fund bets that healthcare stocks will rise neared a five-year high last week, a Goldman Sachs note showed, as cash-rich ‌speculators believe AI-driven breakthroughs and rich financing conditions will prove profitable. Hedge ​fund exposure to this sector relative to U.S. equities hovered last week near a 5-year high, the second straight week during which these hedge funds piled into this sector, Goldman Sachs said in the note dated July 24. Specialised ‌healthcare hedge funds posted returns near 40% between August ​2025 and April 2026, compared to generalist stock trading ​hedge funds which have returned 17% in ​the same time frame, Goldman Sachs' healthcare focused report said. Of roughly $1 trillion managed by equity hedge funds, Goldman Sachs said about $283 billion is ​managed by those specialising in ‌healthcare. Total hedge fund industry capital increased by a record $409.3 billion in the second quarter ​to $5.6 trillion, data from hedge fund research firm HFR showed on Friday.