In recent years, buy-and-hold investors such as pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, and sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) have gradually increased their investments in alternative assets to diversify their portfolios and boost returns. ‘Alternatives’ make up 23% of SWF portfolios and 24% of global pension funds, up from single digits in 2000.
Alternatives can offer attractive returns but be highly correlated to the stock market during downturns and often require long holding periods. Our research suggests that gold can complement alternatives by providing returns, improving diversification, adding liquidity, and enhancing overall portfolio performance.
The financial gold market is larger than the size of many alternative assets
