Alternative strategies boomed after crisis, but haven't been tested

August 15, 2017

Closing in on the 10-year anniversary of the start of the financial crisis, and the stock market peak that preceded it in the fall of 2007, alternative-strategy mutual funds linger like an umbrella waiting for a storm. Alternative funds, which...

Are music royalties a new alternative investment?

July 18, 2017

If your clients have a song in their hearts, they might be able to buy the royalties to it. Royalty Exchange helps owners of music royalties find buyers. Since March 2016, the company has auctioned off royalties from 150 songs, including: •...

Oaktree Capital to take over two Fifth Street BDCs in $320 million deal

July 17, 2017

Oaktree Capital Group, a Los Angeles-based alternative investments manager, will pay $320 million in cash to Fifth Street Management to become the investment adviser to two business development companies: Fifth Street Finance Corp. and Fifth...

Reforming compensation practices in the retail alternatives space

June 20, 2017

It's become increasingly clear that, while the investment goals of retail alternative products are crucial to investor portfolios, a number of alternative product sponsors should seriously consider moving towards a cost and compensation model...

Investments that advisers should look at in an overheated market

May 24, 2017

Editor's note: This is part of a series looking at how the advice industry is getting ready for the next market correction. Investing in today's stock market is a bit like driving 90 miles an hour on a wet highway with bald tires. You may not...

Baird picks CAIS platform for hedge funds

May 17, 2017

Robert W. Baird & Co. has signed on with CAIS' alternatives platform, allowing its 875 advisers to select single-manager hedge funds for the first time. "Many of the advisers we have recruited from wirehouses are experienced in offering hedge...

Addepar acquires AltX to expand in alternatives

May 17, 2017

Addepar, a New York-based investment management platform for advisers and their clients, has acquired AltX, a San Francisco-based intelligence platform for alternative investments. Using machine-learning technology, which enables computers to...

Trump's tax plan could fuel rally in MLP investments

May 11, 2017

If the Trump administration's tax-reform plan gains traction, investors in master limited partnerships could be among the beneficiaries, which means financial advisers might want to start sharpening their pencils for some number crunching. President...

Smart-beta ETFs shine

April 29, 2017

Smart-beta ETFs​ have been the fund industry's latest passion. That's not usually a good thing: A rush of new funds in a particular area is usually a prelude to a long period of buyer's remorse from investors and mockery from the press. So...

Understanding the components of investment return

April 26, 2017

The ability to separately offer the different elements of investment return — beta, strategic beta and alpha — is a growing and important trend. The concept of unbundling isn't new; many industries are beginning to break apart their packaged...

Sponsored by Columbia Threadneedle

Gold shines in an uncertain bull market

April 7, 2017

Gold is only happy when it rains — and if your clients have gold in their portfolio, today would be a good reason to remind them why. Gold pays no dividends and has no earnings. Anyone looking for growth has no business investing in the yellow...

Nontraded BDC to pursue listing on national exchange

April 6, 2017

Corporate Capital Trust Inc., a $4.4 billion nontraded business development company sponsored by CNL Financial Group, said Wednesday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it would pursue a potential listing on a national...

Alternatives in the mainstream – A growth opportunity for advisers

March 13, 2017

The following is an excerpt from a new research paper, “Alternatives in the mainstream,” that was co-developed by InvestmentNews Research and Blackstone. Several current indicators point to potentially greater use of alternative investments...

Sponsored by Blackstone

Nasdaq courts advisers with new private-equity trading platform

March 8, 2017

Private-equity managers are poised to start targeting financial advisers and their wealthier clients, thanks to an expanded alternatives platform by Nasdaq Private Markets. Debuting Wednesday as NPM Alternatives, the private-auction marketplace...

Putting alternatives into tax-exempt vehicles

February 28, 2017

Generating adequate income for clients during their retirement is increasingly a challenge for financial advisers. Longer life-spans, rising health costs and ineffective safety nets continue to exacerbate this challenge. Increasing allocations...

Financial advisers bristle at SEC's pitch to redefine 'accredited investor'

February 27, 2017

Financial advisers rejected a recommendation Friday from the acting chairman of the SEC to increase investor access to private and exotic investment strategies that are usually reserved for rich people. "I think this is an awful idea, as awful...

Misclassified fund draws huge assets, then falters

February 16, 2017

The Catalyst Hedged Futures Strategy Fund (HFXIX) was up 6.2% last year, head and shoulders above the average managed futures fund, which fell 2.8%. Performance like that caught investors' eyes. The fund's assets soared from $1.2 billion in...

Elderly investors win $1.25 million Finra arbitration over failed medical start-up investments

February 3, 2017

A Connecticut investment bank this week lost a $1.25 million Finra arbitration award that focused on the alleged sale of unsuitable securities to elderly investors. William Lashlee, 88, and Keith and Joyce McCrea, elderly retirees, alleged in...