Beyond Bulls & Bears

Category: Alternatives

You are not first: Making the case for alternatives—particularly commercial real estate—in defined contribution plans
Alternatives

You are not first: Making the case for alternatives—particularly commercial real estate—in defined contribution plans

Despite widespread use in institutional portfolios, alternative investments are not typically found in US defined contribution plans. Drew Carrington, Head of Institutional Defined Contribution at Franklin Templeton, and Tripp Braillard, Head of Defined Contribution Distribution at Clarion Partners, explain why perhaps they should be.

Drew Carrington, CFA |
Investing in infrastructure: Why now?
Alternatives

Investing in infrastructure: Why now?

Infrastructure has recently seen increased attention as broad equities have been weaker in 2022 due to inflation, rising interest rates, global supply chain disruptions from COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Shane Hurst, Portfolio Manager with ClearBridge Investments, discusses the opportunities and potential income benefits for investors in the space today.

Shane Hurst |
K2 hedge fund strategy outlook: Third quarter 2022
Alternatives

K2 hedge fund strategy outlook: Third quarter 2022

Economic growth, earnings, supply chains and inflation are factors our K2 Advisors team is monitoring for clues as to whether central banks can achieve the elusive “soft landing.” Read more in its third quarter hedge fund strategy outlook. 

Brooks Ritchey |
PODCAST: Making Sense of the Recent Market Selloffs
Perspectives

PODCAST: Making Sense of the Recent Market Selloffs

Wylie Tollette, Head of Client Investment Solutions with Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions, joins the head of the Franklin Templeton Institute, Stephen Dover, for a conversation on the recent equity market selloff. They discuss why the pendulum has shifted so strongly negative, whether there is any bottom in sight, and where investors looking for diversification could go.

Wylie Tollette, CFA |
K2 Hedge Fund Strategy Outlook: Second Quarter 2022
Alternatives

K2 Hedge Fund Strategy Outlook: Second Quarter 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has added pressure to the inflationary cycle that began in late 2020. Our K2 Advisors team opines on how hedge fund managers are viewing the situation in its second quarter 2022 outlook. 

Brooks Ritchey |
K2 Hedge-Fund Strategy Outlook: First Quarter 2022
Alternatives

K2 Hedge-Fund Strategy Outlook: First Quarter 2022

With both the pandemic and inflation proving longer lasting than many had anticipated, what does that mean for central bank policy in the months ahead? The K2 Advisors team ponders the implications for hedge-fund strategies in its first-quarter 2022 outlook.

Robert Christian |
PODCAST: A Tale of Two Real Estate Markets: US and China
Alternatives

PODCAST: A Tale of Two Real Estate Markets: US and China

Tracy Chen, Portfolio Manager with Brandywine Global, and Tim Wang, Head of Investment Research for Clarion Partners, join Head of the Franklin Templeton Investment Institute, Stephen Dover, to take a closer look at how the pandemic has impacted real estate markets in the United States and China.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
K2 Hedge Fund Strategy Outlook: Fourth Quarter 2021
Alternatives

K2 Hedge Fund Strategy Outlook: Fourth Quarter 2021

Is inflation truly transitory? Will central banks start to tighten the policy reins? Will earnings continue to boost equity valuations? Heading into year end, the K2 Advisors team ponders these and other questions in its fourth quarter (Q4) hedge-fund strategy outlook.

Brooks Ritchey |
Quick Thoughts: Are You Pricing in Water Risk?
Alternatives

Quick Thoughts: Are You Pricing in Water Risk?

Our Chief Market Strategist, Stephen Dover, believes that water risk is global now—devastating floods, unseasonal hurricanes, droughts, megafires, and more demonstrate this. The economic implications of risks related to water are significant and should be considered when investing.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
K2 Advisors Third Quarter Hedge-Fund Strategy Outlook
Alternatives

K2 Advisors Third Quarter Hedge-Fund Strategy Outlook

Heading into the second half of the year, pandemic concerns are not completely in the rear-view mirror. The speed of recovery may vary among regions due to disparate global vaccine distribution leading to potentially divergent central banks policies, according to K2 Advisors. Brooks Ritchey and Robert Christian provide the team’s third quarter hedge-fund strategy outlook.

Robert Christian |
Quick Thoughts: Sourcing Income in Bonds, Real Estate, and Multi-Asset Solutions
Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: Sourcing Income in Bonds, Real Estate, and Multi-Asset Solutions

Sir John Templeton famously said that “this time is different” are the four most dangerous words for investors. However, today’s world appears to be truly different, and with that in mind, our Chief Market Strategist, Stephen Dover, brought together Mark Lindbloom, Portfolio Manager, Western Asset; Onay Payne, Portfolio Manager, Clarion Partners; and Ed Perks, CFA, Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions to discuss and share perspectives on the recovery, growth, and current opportunities for income.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
Quick Thoughts: Why Our Managers Disagree on Inflation, Rates, and Growth
Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: Why Our Managers Disagree on Inflation, Rates, and Growth

Multiple leadership and diverse views steer how we invest in our global economy. Our recent macroeconomic investment roundtable with three of our autonomous investment managers found commonalities and disagreements on the path for global economic growth. All agreed that global growth will be significant this year, but there is some disagreement as to how persistent it will be. Our Chief Market Strategist Stephen Dover believes when thinking about fixed income investing, it is important to think beyond rising interest rates and focus on the many ways to obtain total return.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |