Alternative Investments: A Primer for Investment Professionals PDF Download

Author: Donald R. Chambers
Publisher: CFA Institute Research Foundation
ISBN: 1944960384
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Alternative Investments: A Primer for Investment Professionals provides an overview of alternative investments for institutional asset allocators and other overseers of portfolios containing both traditional and alternative assets. It is designed for those with substantial experience regarding traditional investments in stocks and bonds but limited familiarity regarding alternative assets, alternative strategies, and alternative portfolio management. The primer categorizes alternative assets into four groups: hedge funds, real assets, private equity, and structured products/derivatives. Real assets include vacant land, farmland, timber, infrastructure, intellectual property, commodities, and private real estate. For each group, the primer provides essential information about the characteristics, challenges, and purposes of these institutional-quality alternative assets in the context of a well-diversified institutional portfolio. Other topics addressed by this primer include tail risk, due diligence of the investment process and operations, measurement and management of risks and returns, setting return expectations, and portfolio construction. The primer concludes with a chapter on the case for investing in alternatives.

Author: CFA Institute
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119850622
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 675

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Book Description
The complete guide to alternative investments, from experts working with CFA Institute Alternative Investments is the definitive guide to understanding non-traditional asset classes. Alternatives are a disparate group of investments that are distinguished from long-only, publicly traded investments in stocks, bonds, and cash (often referred to as traditional investments). Alternative investments include real estate, commodities, infrastructure, and other non-traditional investments such as private equity or debt and hedge funds. They are attractive to investors because of the potential for portfolio diversification resulting in a higher risk-adjusted return for the portfolio. Alternative Investments and its accompanying workbook (sold separately) lead students and investment professionals through the many characteristics of non-traditional assets, including: Narrow specialization of the investment managers Relatively low correlation of returns with those of traditional investments Less regulation and less transparency than traditional investments Limited historical risk and return data Unique legal and tax considerations Higher fees, often including performance or incentive fees Concentrated portfolios Restrictions on redemptions (i.e. “lockups” and “gates”) CFA Institute is the world's premier association for investment professionals, and the governing body for the CFA® Program, CIPM® Program, CFA Institute ESG Investing Certificate, and Investment Foundations® Program. Those seeking a deeper understanding of the markets, mechanisms, and use of alternatives will value the level of expertise CFA Institute brings to the discussion, providing a clear, comprehensive resource for students and professionals alike. Whether used alone or in conjunction with the companion workbook, Alternative Investments offers a complete course in alternative investments and their role in investment management.

Author: Larry E. Swedroe
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
ISBN: 0470885335
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
The rewards of carefully chosen alternative investments can be great. But many investors don’t know enough about unfamiliar investments to make wise choices. For that reason, financial advisers Larry Swedroe and Jared Kizer designed this book to bring investors up to speed on the twenty most popular alternative investments: Real estate, Inflation-protected securities, Commodities, International equities, Fixed annuities, Stable-value funds, High-yield (junk) bonds, Private equity (venture capital), Covered calls, Socially responsible mutual funds, Precious metals equities, Preferred stocks, Convertible bonds, Emerging market bonds, Hedge funds, Leveraged buyouts, Variable annuities, Equity-indexed annuities, Structured investment products, Leveraged funds The authors describe how the investments work, the pros and cons of each, which to consider, which to avoid, and how to get started. Swedroe and Kizer evaluate each investment in terms of: Expected returns Volatility Distribution of returns Diversification potential Fees Trading and operating expenses Liquidity Tax efficiency Account location Role in an asset-allocation program Any investor who is considering or just curious about investment opportunities outside the traditional world of stocks, bonds, and bank certificates of deposit would be well-advised to read this book.

Author: Ben Stein
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 9781118075265
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
Praise For THE LITTLE BOOK OF ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS "Ben and Phil have done it again. Another lucid, insightful book, designed to enhance your wealth! In today's stock-addled cult of equities, there is a gaping hole in most investors' portfolios...the whole panoply of alternative investments that can simultaneously help us cut our risk, better hedge our inflation risk, and boost our return. This Little Book is filled with big ideas on how to make these markets and strategies a treasured part of our investing toolkit." —Robert Arnott, Chairman, Research Affiliates "I have been reading Ben Stein for thirty-five years and Phil DeMuth since he joined up with Ben ten years ago. They do solid work, and this latest is no exception." —Jim Rogers, author of A Gift to My Children "If anyone can make hedge funds sexy, Stein and DeMuth can, and they've done it with style in this engaging, instructive, and tasteful how-to guide for investing in alternatives. But you should read this Kama Sutra of investment manuals not just for the thrills, but also to learn how to avoid the hazards of promiscuous and unprotected investing." —Andrew Lo, Professor and Director, MIT Laboratory for Financial Engineering

Author: CAIA Association
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111901638X
Category : Study Aids
Languages : en
Pages : 1401

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Book Description
In-depth Level II exam preparation direct from the CAIA Association CAIA Level II is the official study guide for the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst professional examination, and an authoritative guide to working in the alternative investment sphere. Written by the makers of the exam, this book provides in-depth guidance through the entire exam agenda; the Level II strategies are the same as Level I, but this time you'll review them through the lens of risk management and portfolio optimisation. Topics include asset allocation and portfolio oversight, style analysis, risk management, alternative asset securitisation, secondary market creation, performance and style attribution and indexing and benchmarking, with clear organisation and a logical progression that allows you to customise your preparation focus. This new third edition has been updated to align with the latest exam, and to reflect the current practices in the field. The CAIA designation was developed to provide a standardized knowledge base in the midst of explosive capital inflow into alternative investments. This book provides a single-source repository of that essential information, tailored to those preparing for the Level II exam. Measure, monitor and manage funds from a risk management perspective Delve into advanced portfolio structures and optimisation strategies Master the nuances of private equity, real assets, commodities and hedge funds Gain expert insight into preparing thoroughly for the CAIA Level II exam The CAIA Charter programme is rigorous and comprehensive, and the designation is globally recognised as the highest standard in alternative investment education. Candidates seeking thorough preparation and detailed explanations of all aspects of alternative investment need look no further than CAIA Level II.

Author: CFA Institute
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119853303
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 162

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Book Description
Hands-on practice with alternative investments based on real-world scenarios Alternative Investments Workbook provides the key component of effective learning—practice. Designed for both students and investment professionals, this companion workbook conveniently aligns with the Alternative Investments text chapter-by-chapter, offers brief chapter summaries to refresh your memory on key points before you begin working, and explicitly lays out the learning objectives so you understand the “why” of each problem. This workbook helps you: Synthesize essential material from the Alternative Investments text using real-world applications Understand the key characteristics of non-traditional investments Work toward specific chapter objectives to internalize important information CFA Institute is the world's premier association for investment professionals, and the governing body for the CFA® Program, CIPM® Program, CFA Institute ESG Investing Certificate, and Investment Foundations® Program. Those seeking a deeper understanding of the markets, mechanisms, and use of alternatives will value the level of expertise CFA Institute brings to the discussion as well as the extra practice delivered in Alternative Investments Workbook based on real scenarios investors face every day.

Author: Rdiger Kiesel
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9814280100
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Book Description
This book combines academic research and practical expertise on alternative assets and trading strategies in a unique way. The asset classes that are discussed include: credit risk, cross-asset derivatives, energy, private equity, freight agreements, alternative real assets (ARA), and socially responsible investments (SRI). The coverage on trading and investment strategies are directed at portfolio insurance, especially constant proportion portfolio insurance (CPPI) and constant proportion debt obligation (CPDO) strategies, robust portfolio optimization, and hedging strategies for exotic options.

Author: Dirk A. Zetzsche
Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.
ISBN: 9041149953
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 948

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Book Description
Apart from MiFID, the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) may be the most important European asset management regulation of the early twenty-first century. In this in-depth analytical and critical discussion of the content and system of the directive, thirty-eight contributing authors – academics, lawyers, consultants, fund supervisors, and fund industry experts – examine the AIFMD from every angle. They cover structure, regulatory history, scope, appointment and authorization of the manager, the requirements for depositaries and prime brokers, rules on delegation, reporting requirements, transitional provisions, and the objectives stipulated in the recitals and other official documents. The challenging implications and contexts they examine include the following: – connection with systemic risk and the financial crisis; - nexus with insurance for negligent conduct; - connection with corporate governance doctrine; - risk management; - transparency; - the cross-border dimension; - liability for lost assets; - impact on alternative investment strategies, and - the nexus with the European Regulation on Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFR). Nine country reports, representing most of Europe’s financial centres and fund markets add a national perspective to the discussion of the European regulation. These chapters deal with the potential interactions among the AIFMD and the relevant laws and regulations of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, The Netherlands, Malta and the United Kingdom. The second edition of the book continues to deliver not only the much-needed discussion of the inconsistencies and difficulties when applying the directive, but also provides guidance and potential solutions to the problems it raises. The second edition considers all new developments in the field of alternative investment funds, their managers, depositaries, and prime brokers, including, but not limited to, statements by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and national competent authorities on the interpretation of the AIFMD, as well as new European regulation, in particular the PRIIPS Regulation, the ELTIF Regulation, the Regulation on European Venture Capital Funds (EuVeCaR), the Regulation on European Social Entrepreneurship Funds (EUSEFR), MiFID II, and UCITS V. The book will be warmly welcomed by investors and their counsel, fund managers, depositaries, asset managers, administrators, as well as regulators and academics in the field.

Author: Bob Rice
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062257919
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 214

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Book Description
The first book to explain the new world of alternative investing, showing how anyone can use nontraditional options to significantly increase returns and lower risks The world's elite investors have long relied on alternative investments to produce superior returns. Until now, these strategies were the exclusive purview of institutions and the superwealthy, but today any informed investor can play the same game. A rainbow of investment options—timber, start-ups, master limited partnerships (MLPs), hedged strategies, managed futures, infrastructure, peer-to-peer lending, farmland, and dozens of other nontraditional strategies—can provide dramatically better gains, with less total risk, than the standard choices. In The Alternative Answer, Bob Rice, Bloomberg TV's Alternative Investments Editor, leads an entertaining and easy- to-understand tour of this world, and suggests specific alternative investments for all four key "jobs" of a portfolio: safely generating more current income, decreasing risks of economic shocks, significantly increasing long-term profits, and protecting purchasing power over time. Regardless of experience or net worth, readers will learn exactly how to substantially improve investment performance—in the same way that the world's best investors already do. Stocks and bonds alone aren't nearly enough. Investors need an alternative answer and now they have it.

Author: CAIA Association
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470557249
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 779

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Book Description
Not to be used after March, 2012 Exams – CAIA Level I, 2nd Edition should be used to prepare for September 2012 Exam. The official study text for the Level I Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) exam The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation is the financial industry's first and only globally recognized program that prepares professionals to deal with the ever-growing field of alternative investments. The CAIA Level I: An Introduction to Core Topics in Alternative Investments contains all material on alternative investments that a potential Level I candidate would need to know as they prepare for the exam. The information found here will help you build a solid foundation in both traditional and alternative investment markets-for example, the range of statistics that are used to define investment performance as well as the many types of hedge fund strategies. It will also inform CAIA candidates on how to identify and describe aspects of financial markets, develop reasoning skills, and in some cases, make computations necessary to solve business problems. Contains "need to know" material for Level I candidates and for alternative investment specialists Addresses all of the unique attributes associated with the alternative investments space Organized with a study guide outline and learning objectives with key terms, available for free at www.caia.org/program/studyguides Focuses on alternative investments and quantitative techniques used by investment professionals This book is a must-have resource for anyone contemplating taking the CAIA Level I exam.