BLOG

New research has put a price on the emotional pleasure of owning collectible investments. The cost is roughly 2.6 percentage points of annual return, and it doesn't stop at art and wine. From property to employer stock to ESG funds, the same invisible fee may be silently eroding your portfolio.

Billions are fleeing private credit funds as returns slide and redemptions surge. Financial historian Mark Higgins warns that retail investors aren't being offered a seat at the table — they're being positioned at the end of a speculative supply chain, left to absorb risks the smart money no longer wants.

Private equity firms are dangling incentives that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Management fee cuts, rebates on deal charges, even caps on travel expenses are now on the table. Yet despite this generosity, fundraising has slumped to a seven-year low. According to the Financial Times, firms raised just $592bn in the 12 months to June, almost a third down from the record levels of 2021. Behind the numbers lies a shift in the balance of power between fund managers

Private equity in 401(k)s has been hailed as a breakthrough for American savers. But while the headlines promise fast change, the reality is slower, costlier and far riskier. History shows high failure rates, heavy fees and poor outcomes for investors. The winners may be asset managers, not workers.

New Morningstar research reveals a shocking 75% alternative fund mortality rate. Of 1,345 alternative mutual funds that existed in 2015, only 341 survive today. As regulators push wider retail access to semi-liquid alternatives, Jeffrey Ptak's analysis shows three-quarters failed to deliver on promises of diversification and smoother returns. High fees, poor performance, and investor flight killed most funds within three years.

Property investment is a popular strategy in many countries. One particular approach, buy to let, has gained widespread appeal because of rising house prices. But that popularity can mask some of the key dangers. Investors often overlook the risks of concentrating wealth in a single asset class like property. Professor JENS HAGENDORFF from King’s College London warns that many buy to let investors are underestimating the potential downside, especially compared to stock market