FYI: An ‘alternative’ fund sounded like a good idea, but we don’t have a clue what’s in ours.
Most people who own “alternative mutual funds” can’t accurately describe what they’ve got in their portfolio.
The label “alternative” seems to cover countless strategies and, technically, can be applied to anything that falls outside of the mainstream investment categories of stocks, bonds and cash.
Regards,
Ted
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/is-your-alternative-fund-a-ticking-time-bomb-2014-09-01/print
Comments
During the dot com boom did most people knew WTF their mutual funds were investing in? How about during the financial crisis? How about EVER? When it comes to most people they don't know what they are doing OR their day job is not managing money. Where were you Jaffe on 2000 or in 2007? Did you warn people about Tech stocks / Financial stocks? Now after a few people have come and written articles about how "alternative investments" are not what they are cracked up to me, you come and write a "me too" article? What a job. What a F****** job!
Over the years I have learnt enough to know a certain word in the fund name means nothing. M* categorization sucks to boot regardless of whether the word "alternative" is in the name of the fund. I give you Legg Mason VALUE trust. VALUE? Purified Bovine Waste.
To me, someone like Steve Romick is an "Alternative Fund Manager". Someone who invests with lower co-relation to S&P 500 just like "bonds" are supposed to do. Since I'm no 007 I go with Romick. I can say the same about John Deysher who ids 50% in cash. Or even Hussman, who I admit needs to look at "alternative" (pun intended) ways to hedge.
Finally, he is taking a page out of MY book. Diversify manager risk away by owning multiple alternative funds? That's all you got Chuck? Remember, how investors should not own too many funds?