Alternative Investments
The global alternative investment space now sits at more than $9 trillion in global assets, and we’re just getting started. Roughly 40% of RIAs are using alternative investments. With the RIA space expanding and alternative investment demand rising among investors – a surge in data, news, and opinion will continue. This channel cuts through the noise to give you the most important actionable insight.
Top Story
SP Funds has expanded its suite of Sharia-compliant funds with the launch of The SP Funds S&P Global Technology ETF (SPTE) on the New York Stock Exchange. As North America’s largest family of Shariah-compliant exchange-traded funds (ETFs), SP Funds aims to provide investors access to cutting-edge technological advancements through SPTE.
Get Daily Updates
Subscribe to DailyAlts Today to get Alternative Investment news, insight, and commentary delivered straight to your inbox every day.
More Stories on Alternative Investments
The 2020 Democrats and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence and job displacement. That has emerged as an important them among working-class voters across the United States. With AI now targeting white-collar jobs, the stakes are going even higher. This week, Vox Media asked five candidates a question about artificial intelligence.
Fake News: China Targets Artificial Intelligence and Bots
Fake news is a term generating a lot of buzz in the United States. But in China, the term has taken on a whole new meaning. The country has issued new guidelines that will ban online video and audio suppliers from using artificial intelligence to disseminate “fake news.”
Pensions Jack Up Exposure to Alternative Investments
Interest rates have been declining since the financial crisis and the resultant falling investment returns have put pension funds under pressure. Pension funds turn to alternative investments to offset the chronic low rates regime.
Alternative Investments: BlackRock Warns on Global Growth
Global economic growth sits atop a list of concerns from BlackRock. On Tuesday, the alternative asset manager said it has shifted toward defensive Asian stocks. A report indicates that the company has turned to sectors like telecommunications in China. The group released its projections for next year in a 2020 report on the region.
Barings Launches Onshore Private Fund in China
Barings announced the launch of its first onshore Private Fund in China.
The Barings China A-share Private Securities Investment Fund No.1 has registered with the Asset Management Association of China.
Alternative Investments: Insurance Company CIOs Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Natixis Investment Managers commissioned a survey of 200 Chief Investment Officers (CIOs) at insurers in Asia, Europe, and North America. Nearly 75% said that it was essential to include alternative investments in their portfolios.
Their view emerged from current trends that make it very difficult for the CIOs to earn alpha.
Now, Advisors and Qualified Clients Get Access to PIMCO Alternative Strategies
iCapital Network, which connects advisors and their high net worth investors to leading alternative investment managers, ties up with PIMCO.
iCapital Network said it will develop a customized technology platform for PIMCO, one of the world’s largest fixed-income asset managers. Financial advisors and qualified investors can use this platform to access PIMCO’s alternative investment strategies.
Ray Dalio Calls Next Economic Downturn the “Great Sag”
Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio has warned about the next economic downturn on more than one occasion.
Fidelity Digital Assets Secures New York State License
Fidelity Digital Assets received a license from the New York State Department of Financial Services. The state regulator provided permission for the crypto-arm of Fidelity Investments to offer new services.
HarbourVest Closes Fifth Fund at $3 Billion
HarbourVest Partners announced it has closed its latest fund at $3 billion. The private equity shop announced the HarbourVest Partners Co-Investment Fund V at oversubscribed. its original target was $2.5 billion.
Workers Trust Artificial Intelligence More Than Their Bosses
Industrial automation is a major risk to jobs, according to thought leaders like Elon Musk. Even though robots could replace up to 800 million jobs by 2030, employees are happy to see their bosses go.
Private Equity Shop Ethos Capital Buys the .Org Domain Registry
Ethos Capital has purchased the Public Internet Registry, the group that maintains the .org registry. The private equity firm purchased the registry from the Internet society, according to a statement this week. The deal marks the end of nearly two decades of control by the Internet Society.
WeWork Layoffs to Total 4,000 to 6,000 Over Five Years
WeWork layoffs are coming, and the number could range between 4,000 and 6,000 employees. The WeWork layoffs are set to start this week. According to International Business Times, the company will make an announcement on Tuesday. The New York Times says that the firm will lay off about one-third of its workforce by June 2020.
CPPIB Reports 2.2% Return in the Second Quarter
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) reported gains of 2.2% during the second quarter. On Thursday, the nation’s largest public pension fund reported how it delivered the return.
These Funds Were the Biggest Laggards in 2019
In a raging bull stock market, the biggest losers in 2019 were obviously funds that were short, or bet on volatility.
A Morningstar compilation of the 20 top loser funds or ETNs over 2019 through to November 2019 showed that, on average, they lost over 8% during the period.
IMF Analyst: A Lot of Mutual Funds Could Collapse in a Panic
International Monetary Fund analyst Laura Kodres warns that investors are putting too much faith in mutual funds. According to Deutsche Bank, half of the high-yield asset funds could experience liquidity shortfalls in a market panic.
Preqin Executive Report: Less than 12% of Senior Roles in Alternatives Are Occupied by Women
A new Preqin executive report shows that women hold a small number of executive roles in the alternative investment industry. Preqin data shows that more women are working in the hedge fund and private equity space than in 2017.
Alipay’s Brute Power on Display on Singles Day
Alipay is the 800-pound gorilla in the global fintech room. It processed more than US$38 billion of payments in a single day.
Alipay’s global fintech supremacy is without question. On the highly-anticipated Singles Day in China, Alipay processed all the online payments emanating from Alibaba’s e-commerce platforms.
Billionaires’ Wealth Falls for First Time in Three Years
The richest people in the world saw their wealth decline in 2018 for the first time in three years. According to the UBS/PwC Billionaires’ Report, the selective class of billionaires saw their global wealth fall by $388 billion. Today, they control about $8.54 trillion in global wealth.
Alaska Permanent Fund Beats Benchmark Yet Again
The Alaska Permanent Fund filed its report for the first fiscal quarter of 2020.
The largest U.S. state sovereign wealth fund reported earning returns of 1.24%. That exceeded its benchmark (60% Stocks|30% Bonds|10% RE & TIPS) return for the quarter.
What’s Inside The California State Teachers’ Retirement System Portfolio?
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) announced its latest asset allocation shifts this week. The $242 billion dollar scheme is shifting assets away from traditional equities.
Elliott Management Supports Split of Nielsen Holdings
Nielsen Holdings has announced plans to split itself into two separate public companies. The plan – backed by Elliott Management – will unlock shareholder value.
Brookfield Asset Management Launches Its Fifth PE Fund
The new Brookfield Capital Partners V reached total equity commitments of $9 billion, according to Brookfield Asset Management. The company released a statement this week outlining the goals of the private equity fund and its type of investors.
McKinsey: North American AUM Hit $43 Trillion Last Year
A new McKinsey report puts total North American AUM at $43 trillion. The market hit that figure saw a 7% jump from the previous year. That said, industry profits (not-including alternative investments) declined by 3.7% to just $42.6 billion.