Such is the appetite for alternative and innovative products, that manufacturers and distributors are experiencing a pull for their wares from investors. However, traditional alternatives are not the only target, as demand for specialist structured products and equity funds enter the mix. Yuri Bender reports

As structured products become more scientific in their implementation, institutions are more willing to embrace the strategy. Elisa Trovato dispels some of the myths surrounding structured products and outlines the most attractive areas

BNP Paribas explains how commodities and structured products can improve a portfolio’s risk/return ratio and thereby satisfy the need for diversification

In replacing the regulatory framework for the use of derivatives in investments, Germany has opened the industry to more innovative use of the asset class and allowed funds to provide tailored fund solutions for investors, say Stefanie Ginsbach and Marc Boettinger, fund managers of DWS structured products

Quantitative research strategists at top banks typically spend their time advising hedge fund clients. Monetising this capability and packaging it for retail and institutional clients has become the latest trend in the structured products market, says Bhupinder Singh

The eurozone may be coming into its own as it has recently outstripped both the UK and the US. Recent market volatility has affected the zone, as it has other regions, but new opportunities have also been created. Simon Hildrey reports