Advisers consider managed futures a critical component of client portfolios, according to an adviser survey commissioned by Altegris Advisers, a provider of alternative investments.
Findings of the Altegris Managed Futures Survey, conducted at InvestmentNews' Alternative Investments Conference in November 2016, revealed that almost half of advisers surveyed (46 per cent) currently use managed futures in their client accounts.
More than two in five advisers (41 per cent) plan to increase their current allocation to managed futures in 2017.
One fourth of respondents (25 per cent) indicated they use managed futures primarily to diversify traditional equity and fixed income strategies.
Nearly one-third of respondents (31 per cent) think managed futures should make up more than five per cent of a client's investment portfolio.
The Altegris Managed Futures Survey marks the five-year anniversary of the Altegris Futures Evolution Fund, which seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation by accessing returns from a group of investment managers in futures and fixed income, including Winton Capital Management, ISAM and DoubleLine Capital.
"Amid heightened volatility in currencies, commodities and interest rates, the findings from the Altegris Managed Futures Survey represent a key indication that the current environment is ripe for advisers to implement managed futures in their client portfolios," says Matt Osborne (pictured), CIO of Altegris and portfolio manager of the Altegris Futures Evolution Fund.
"Our Futures Evolution Strategy Fund, which celebrates its important five-year milestone, looks to address these market conditions by offering a proven track record and a unique blend of some of the industry's leaders in futures and active fixed income."
Despite indicating an increased demand for managed futures in 2017, findings from the Altegris Managed Futures Survey suggest a perceived lack of understanding about the role that managed futures can play in an investment portfolio. Thirty-five per cent of respondents cited a lack of clarity regarding investment strategy as their primary concern about investing in managed futures strategies, followed by 34 per cent of respondents, who cited a lack of education on the product offering as their primary concern.
"I believe managed futures can offer an actionable path to lower risk, increased diversification and transparency, and ensuring that advisers understand the role and return characteristics of these strategies is of the utmost importance," says Osborne. "At Altegris, we are committed to delivering the necessary tools to educate advisers on ways to address today's volatile markets and the available solutions as they look to preserve and grow their clients' portfolios."
