AAA
has welcomed new research from Towers Watson consultancy, which found
that pension funds are still putting more and more of their funds
into alternative investments.
Boston,
MA, USA, August 6, 2012 -- Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) has
welcomed new research from Towers Watson consultancy, which found
that pension funds are still putting more and more of their funds
into alternative investments.
The
survey found that there has been a 7.9 per cent rise in the total
pension fund assets under management by the top 100 asset managers.
The total sum is now $1.03 trillion, up from $951.7 billion in 2010.
The
rise is partly due to the fact that the survey now includes figures
from insurers, foundations, endowments and sovereign wealth funds.
Much of the assets under management are being invested in
alternatives such as hedge funds and private equity, according to
Towers Watson.
A
spokesman for Towers Watson, Craig Baker, said, "Our client base
is quite different today from when we started this survey. We do a
lot of work with insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds and
endowments."
AAA's
analysis partner, Anthony Johnson said that these latest figures show
that institutional investors are increasingly looking towards
alternatives to diversify their portfolios and offset the impact of
inflation. He stated, "We are seeing an increase in interest in
alternatives with individuals and institutional investors realizing
in their droves that alternatives can offer a wise option."
AAA
claims that individual investors are now "spoiled for choice"
when it comes to interesting alternatives asset classes that can
offer a hedge against inflation and a less risky investment than the
equity markets. "Timberland is one of the best-performing
alternatives," added Mr Johnson.
"Investing
directly in timberland through the kind of schemes run by Greenwood
Management in Brazil, for example, ensures people
get something tangible in exchange for their investment."
"Not
only this, but timberland returns on investment have typically
outperformed equities over a number of years and can offer a good
long-term investment option for people looking for a pension
investment."
About
Alternative Asset Analysis:
The
remit of Alternative Asset Analysis is to analyse and provide news on
the global performance of a wide range of alternative asset classes
including, but not restricted to, commodities, real estate, forestry,
foreign exchange, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital.
Media
Contact:
Anthony
Johnson
Alternative
Asset Analysis
71
Commercial St
Boston,
MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
