The perception of hedge funds, once seen as the exciting but risky rock stars of investment management, is changing, with these vehicles now perceived as offering a more dependable route to increasing portfolio returns

With interest rate rises on the horizon, bonds are unlikely to retain their traditional role of protecting capital in portfolios – meaning investors must take on greater risk both within fixed income and by raising allocations to other asset classes

Attracted by the lower volatility that multi-asset funds can bring for investors, both asset managers and private clients are increasingly using them as building blocks in their portfolios

Pictet’s Chloé Koos Dunand and Ani Markova of Smith & Williamson discuss what role gold should be playing in portfolios

Disruptive technologies can revolutionise the way entire industries operate, but are investors better off trying to pick out the new kids on the block or avoid those on the way down?

Political upheavals and the tapering of QE have hit emerging markets hard, but some investors are highlighting the attractive valuations and long-term opportunities available in these economies

Investors are desperate for yield to fulfil their needs but in order to do so they must be convinced to take on more risk, which can cause headaches for their advisers

Private bankers believe returns will be harder to come by this year and are encouraging clients to increase allocations to illiquid investments such as private equity and real estate in response. But do investors have the stomach for it?