Alternatives

There are a plethora of reasons for advisers to dismiss Bitcoin and other crypto assets as a worthy holding in clients’ investment portfolios. For one, they’re for the most part unregulated. To say they’re volatile is an understatement. Let’s not forget the serious fraud and theft concerns that accompany it. But crypto is here to…

High iron ore prices are unlikely to have escaped the attention of Australian investors given the inevitable BHP or RIO holdings. Commodities, in general, have left many other traded goods in their dust over the past twelve months. Lumber, pulp, rubber and chemicals have been joined by gas prices to take the IHS Markit Material…

Part 2 – Apollo Capital Fund It has been a busy few months for Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency world. Bitcoin’s price rocketed to an all-time high of US$51,785 this month on reports that Tesla would now accept bitcoin as payment for its cars and other products. And so, while the price of cryptocurrencies has started…

While listening to a conference by multi-asset investment manager, Ruffer LLP – an event we covered here – it became evident that most portfolios are inadequately prepared for the future that lies ahead. While UK-based Ruffer is little-known in Australia, the group manages over GBP$21 billion ($37.5 billion) across most asset classes, and recently received…

Founder and Senior Portfolio Manager Nick Langley at RARE Infrastructure, now named Clearbridge Investments, has put out a short note outlining the infrastructure sector as one area that remains bright despite the pandemic. According to Langley “there is a confluence of issues, events and realities that cause us to be extremely positive about the potential…

After what has been a busy (and impressive) year for relative new-comer Federation Asset Management, it could have been forgiven for putting the cue in the rack come Christmas. Yet the group, led by ex-Macquarie banker Cameron Brownjohn, just launched what may be an Australian first: a pure-play investment fund investing in the renewable energy…

An interview with Will Baylis, Portfolio Management of Sustainable Equity at Martin Currie. Thank you so much for joining us Will, it would be great to get an insight into what you are seeing for the year ahead and to take our readers through the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.  Starting on a more…

Long-short strategies, which involve giving a fund manager the flexibility to profit when share prices rise or fall, were gaining traction before the pandemic. The trend has continued to accelerate since, but they remain an under-represented part of most investor portfolios. Whether due to a lack of understanding or perceived higher risk, heightened equity market…

Assets in alternative investments are expected to grow by 9.8 per cent a year over the next five years, to hit US$17 trillion (A$23.4 trillion) by 2025, according to the latest research by Preqin, the global alternatives research and data provider. Private equity will double to US$9.1 trillion and Asia will be a “huge driver.”…

The investment grade (IG) REIT sector is certainly one of the worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the June quarter, only 77% of revenues (rent etc.) were collected, with the retail sector collecting just 58% of contracted revenues. Net tangible asset values (NTAs) across the market declined 5.2%, driven lower predominantly by devaluations in…

Four years ago, old high-school buddies Nicholas Quinn and Jesse Moors were taking in the sunshine at a café on Melbourne’s Southbank, when they decided to take their mutual interest in stock market investment to the next level. Quinn, a former PwC global tax specialist, and Moors, formerly a business development manager at CPA Australia,…

ASX lower as mining and financials hit, Afterpay Ltd (ASX:APT) hits $100, RBA Minutes released The ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) fell 0.7% on Tuesday, giving back yesterday’s gains on a weaker global lead. Mining, down 1.1% and financials, -1.2%, were the biggest detractors as valuations continue to bite. BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) offered a quarterly production update…