Other Alternative Investments - Articles & White Papers
Articles and research on other alternative asset classes (those outside of mainstream alternatives). Some alternatives within this section are insurance-related, so there are a number of white papers on catastrophe bonds, reports on reinsurance securities, and securities backed by life settlements (secondary market for life insurance policies). Is volatility an asset class? This is debatable, but we have included in this section papers on volatility as an asset class or "opportunity class", including the use of short volatility to...
enhance portfolio returns. Master Limited Partnerships are another, relatively new alternative asset, and our listing includes white papers on MLPs, which provide relatively high income with stable cash flows. Other exotic alternatives include institutional investment in wine and institutional investment in art, with one paper examining the characteristics of art funds and their typical investments, while another examines the history of bubbles in the art market. PwC author a report on alternative investment asset classes which considers oil and gas MLPs and insurance flavored products, among others.
Overall, real assets have weathered the volatility of 2020 reasonably well. Investors continue to turn to real assets to help them achieve their investment goals and objectives – whether for income generation, capital growth, liability matching, or portfolio diversification. That said, making an allocation to real assets…
Should cryptoassets have a role in professionally managed portfolios? This brief by CFA Institute is designed to help investors who are trying to understand cryptocurrencies and blockchain. The author answers essential questions and explains the key issues.
The findings of Wilshire Phoenix indicate that CME Bitcoin Futures contribute more to price discovery than its related spot markets. Our analysis was performed using similar methodology previously employed by the SEC’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis to evaluate price formation.
This article empirically investigates some of the key features of cryptocurrency returns and volatilities, such as their relationship with traditional asset classes, as well as the main driving factors behind market activity. The main empirical results suggest that while there is a mild relationship between returns on…
This Group of 30 report examines the landscape of digital currencies: from Bitcoin and (Facebook’s) Libra to central bank digital currencies, payment systems are evolving rapidly. The report makes clear that decisions by regulators on how to deal with digital currencies, now and over the next few years, could shape the…
The advent of blockchain technology has allowed for a virtual cornucopia of possibilities for individuals, business, and governments around the world. Twelve years since Bitcoin’s genesis block, with an increasing progression toward digital money, MIM dives into the origins of blockchain technology, the evolution of…
Insurance-linked securities (ILS) is an alternative asset class offering investors the potential for attractive risk-adjusted returns and desirable diversification benefits. This overview describes a number of key aspects of the asset class from the perspective of capital market investors, including: a definition of ILS; how…
“Know what you are investing in” is a steadfast, uncontroversial investing adage. Unfortunately, when it comes to bitcoin, this advice is being dangerously overlooked by both novice and seasoned investors. In this article, the author seeks to set the record straight on what bitcoin was and has become, and what he believes is…
The effects of recessions on fine art prices are, without a doubt, the topic most-opined-about in our industry’s relatively small financial news echo chamber. Any hint of a market slowdown tends to flood our inboxes with an unyielding torrent of analysis, evidenced by the slew of articles in 2019 alone (a year many analysts…
With its decentralised features and its finite and predictable supply, Bitcoin seems to be finding its place in portfolios as 'digital gold', and WisdomTree do see investors switching some of their gold allocations to bitcoin more and more frequently.
While institutions continue to show interest in investing in digital assets, the application and treatment of this asset class remains a challenge for many. State Street’s Digital Product Development and Innovation experts Swen Werner and Irfan Ahmad discuss some of the common misconceptions associated with the adoption and…
In Greek mythology, for the crime of giving the gift of fire to mankind, Prometheus was condemned by the gods. Chained to a rock, every day his liver was pecked out by a giant eagle, and every night it grew back. Bitcoin isn’t exactly like Prometheus’s liver, but it does have one similarity. Every time a bitcoin bubble…
Consumers in the United States are expected to purchase US$10 billion in state-legal cannabis by the end of this year. This makes it a new emerging growth market at a time when so many other markets are contracting or failing altogether under the weight of the pandemic and other economic issues. As the lawful realm matures…
Bitcoin reached a new all-time high earlier this month. Thus far, it has mostly seemed a private-investor phenomenon, but recently we have seen increased interest from institutions as well. There are many things to like: past returns have been stellar (an annualised return above 100% over the past five years, as the chart…
Since the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009, many investors have been intrigued with the world of cryptocurrency, yet a range of reasonable concerns have kept most away. A decade later, cryptocurrency has begun to move into the mainstream, with by many reports over 5,000 cryptocurrencies or tokens created. However, despite…
The recent enthusiasm for Bitcoin is reminiscent of the Gold Rush in the western U.S. from 1848-1860. With fits and starts, U.S. enthusiasm for gold exploded over this time period. Gold was the most popular safe haven and store of value in the 19th century. Viewed as one of the least volatile commodities, gold prices during…
Published by Artemis, this recent article featuring Jennifer Signori, Principal and Senior Vice President, ESG and Impact Investing at Neuberger Berman, discusses the importance of ESG factors when it comes to Insurance-linked Securities (ILS).
