Emerging Market Debt indices staged a significant drop in February. Active managers should have provided some protection against the damage—the average strategy was already underweight Russia at the start of this year. Yet many have faced headwinds, including high transaction costs when selling and losses caused by overweight positions to neighbouring countries.

• Fixed Income
• Emerging Markets

Read more: Ukraine Impact: Are Active Managers Providing Protection in Emerging Market Debt?

Last year saw Alternative Risk Premia (ARP) strategies recoup a substantial proportion of the losses endured during 2020—an annus horribilis during which the bfinance ARP manager composite lost more than 10%. With managers seeking to reaffirm their credibility, many have made significant changes in order to improve their responsiveness and resilience.

• Diversifying Strategies
• Alternative Risk Premia

Read more: Alternative Risk Premia Strategies Revive and Evolve after Pandemic Rout

Following an extended period of ‘low-flation’, many institutional investors entered 2021 with negligible exposure to so-called ‘inflation protection’ strategies such as inflation-linked bonds and commodities. A year later, with inflation climbing above 5% in a number of developed economies, we take a closer look at commodity and CTA performance.

• Diversifying Strategies

Read more: Commodities and CTAs Draw Focus as Inflation Spikes

Since the pandemic began, developments in the shipping sector have reverberated across the global economic landscape. Looking ahead, regulatory requirements around carbon emissions will drive transformative change. Investors are cautious—but they are also sensing opportunity; maritime leasing is answering asset owners’ appetite for alternative finance strategies that provide diversification, income and even environmental impact.

• Private Markets
• Private Debt
• Real Assets

Read more: Navigating Opportunities in Maritime Leasing