A detailed report on the emergence of unconventional asset allocation (UAA) products in the markets. This report discusses the philosophy, common characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of UAA. It also looks at the different methods of applying UAA and the roles it can fill in a portfolio.
In July 2006, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants issued a “Practice Aid” to guide the auditors of institutions with investments in alternative assets. This report is a review of the implications of the Practice Aid based on discussions with major auditing firms, careful examination of the Practice Aid, and Cambridge Associates` familiarity of…
This paper details the emergence and growth of global tactical asset allocation (GTAA) and makes a case for GTAA in the current market environment. Strategy implementation, sources of risk, and manager fees are also addressed. Exhibits include a history of tactical asset allocation, “beta” and “alpha” bets taken by GTAA managers, and contact information for…
This paper provides a framework for assessing nonpublic defined benefit pension plans by examining the key characteristics of pension liabilities, various risks to consider during the asset allocation process, and risk immunization. Exhibits cover pension fund performance, liquidity constraints, liability duration, and a comparison of asset allocation differences between pensions and endowments.
A detailed discussion of how investors should protect their portfolios and allocate their assets during a bear market. Exhibits include cumulative wealth analyses, U.S. equity returns, price-earnings ratios, and global equity market valuations.
While rebalancing may provide a slight enhancement in returns, its primary goal is to keep asset class weights at or near target allocations in order to control risk and reduce portfolio volatility. This report outlines characteristics of the most common rebalancing strategies and issues to consider when establishing and setting a rebalancing policy.
This report examines inflation’s impact on investments and evaluates several inflation-hedging strategies with an emphasis on cross-border investments. Exhibits include the performance of various inflation hedges in high and low inflation periods.
This paper argues that policy portfolios have been misrepresented as inflexible constructs, set in stone by means of efficient frontier analysis, and are incompatible with tactical and opportunistic investing. The appendices discuss the use, abuse, and methodology of portfolio optimization models.
An introduction to the sector of financial instruments whose value is based on that of some underlying security, such as a bond or a share of a stock. This primer covers the definitions, characteristics, and uses of the major types of derivatives as well as issues and guidelines for implementation.
A look at where things are and what steps investors should take if/when the crisis returns.