Alternatives

Many supply chain issues have been alleviated in the last year as restrictions eased in the wake of the pandemic, said Alceon’s Phil Green, but labour remains a sticking point.

Market neutral strategies should be not only used as lever for investors that want an on-call safety valve for volatility, but retained as a strategic holding to drive portfolio performance throughout market seasonality, according to Yarra Capital Management’s Andrew Smith.

With private equity becoming more accessible, retail investors can now take advantage of the asymmetry-of-information and diversification benefits PE offers, while its safe-haven characteristics stand out in the uncertain macro environment, according to David Chan and Cameron Brownjohn.

At The Inside Network’s Alternatives Symposium, Kyle McCarthy and David Lewis encouraged investors to define private credit very broadly to reap the benefits of diversification and strong risk-adjusted returns.

Senior secured loans make an attractive proposition in an inflationary environment, says Invesco’s Ashley O’Connor, especially when returns are stable and company defaults are at low tide.

The amount of capital being made available to private companies has surged in recent decades, making it possible, and often preferable, to keep companies private for much longer. Liberty Street Advisors’ Christian Munafo and Schroders’ Claire Smith discussed the opportunities and risks for investors as the private-for-longer trend picks up pace.

Lending specialist Daniel Zwirn spoke candidly about investor “credit myths”, and the misunderstandings that hold people back in the selection and movement of assets in portfolio construction.

Gold has never held strong investment appeal for SMSFs, despite being seen as a hedge against inflation. With the precious metal beginning a so-far volatile 2023 full of steam, SMSFs looking to preserve capital have several reasons to consider incorporating gold into their portfolios.

Alternative investment manager Blackstone’s decision to limit redemptions from its $103 billion real estate investment trust has investors questioning whether such funds can continue to maintain strong performance as the broader real estate market deteriorates.

Few regional towns are primed for growth, but judicious research and a key partnership with a government agency is seeing Castlerock make the most out of property.

As the bond sellout continues amid soaring rates, investors will increasingly rotate to gold as a capital preservation asset According to Rush Gold.

Infrastructure assets have been gaining investor interest due to their inflation hedging properties in recent times.