29 August 2022
Nearly four in ten professional investors (38%) believe that the current level of risk in markets high with 23% stating ‘somewhat high’ and 15% very high, according to a survey carried out on behalf of Fulcrum Asset Management.¹
When asked to name a time when markets were last this risky², 41% of investors responded since quantitative easing was implemented, while others cited the 2007/8 Global Financial Crisis (18%), the 2016 China devaluation (15%) and the Dotcom bubble (13%).
When asked to consider their asset allocation for the next six months in light of market risks, commodities came out as the asset class most likely to be increased, closely followed by illiquid alternative investments and gold.
Fewer investors were planning decreases, but of those who were, nearly one third said they were eyeing up cuts to equities in light of the current market conditions.
Questioned more specifically on absolute return strategies, and given the outlook for markets, 72% said they would be more inclined to think about them.
Commenting on the survey’s findings, Nabeel Abdoula, Deputy CIO, Fulcrum Asset Management said:
“There’s no doubt that investors are experiencing a more risky market environment in more traditional asset classes (i.e. equities and bonds), and sensing that, it’s no surprise that commodities, illiquid alternatives and gold are in favour as investors look to mitigate the current conditions.
Fulcrum’s Diversified Absolute Return strategy has been going since 2004 and has safely navigated many of the previous ‘crisis points’ highlighted by investors such as the dotcom bubble and the Global Financial Crisis. We therefore think it is a very sensible strategy for investors to hold something like this which is designed to help protect capital during times of great uncertainty.”
Fulcrum’s Diversified Absolute Return strategy is an all-weather multi-asset Investment strategy which follows an extremely robust and repeatable process, guided by economic theory and backed by empirical research.