Alternative investments were once reserved mainly for the ultra-wealthy, but Fred Hubler argues they’re becoming increasingly accessible to retail investors as technology and globalization reshape the market. He defines the category broadly: private equity, hedge funds, real estate, commodities, and cryptocurrencies, assets generally less liquid and more complex than traditional stocks and bonds, but offering the potential for higher returns …

Cash rarely gets much attention as an asset class, but Fred Hubler argues it deserves a real look, especially with interest rates rising and markets volatile. He notes some advisors may be reluctant to recommend it since it doesn’t generate commissions or fees the way other products do. He defines cash broadly: savings accounts, money market accounts, and shorter-term CDs, …

Rising inflation, the war in Ukraine, a possible US default, and the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes were all contributing to a volatile market, and Fred Hubler laid out how each piece fit together. He noted that US inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index, rose 7.9% in February 2022, the highest rate in 40 years, driven by supply chain disruptions, …

With traditional stocks, bonds, and mutual funds facing ongoing volatility, more investors are exploring alternatives in search of higher returns and better diversification, and Fred Hubler runs through several unconventional options. He cites a Cerulli Associates report showing high-net-worth clients now allocate an average of 9.1% of their assets to alternatives, with advisors expecting that to climb to 9.6% by …

Quick service restaurants, or QSRs, are everywhere, and Fred Hubler makes the case that shifting business models create a real investment opportunity. He cites Toasttab data showing 37% of US adults eat fast food every day, with the market growing to over $362 billion in 2022 per IBIS World, and Chipotle alone seeing digital sales jump more than 216%, fueled …

The traditional 60/40 portfolio, 60% stocks and 40% bonds, has long been the standard advisor recommendation, but Fred Hubler points out it hasn’t kept pace with how major endowments invest. Over the last 30 years, a 60/40 portfolio returned an average of 8.2% in the US, while Yale’s endowment model earned 13.1% over that same period. He explains why: large …

Self-storage might not sound glamorous, but it’s the only asset class with an average occupancy of 92% and one that outperformed other asset classes in 2021, according to Fred Hubler. He notes it can offer passive income, inflation protection (since rates can adjust daily), and less tenant stress than other property types. Once associated mainly with hoarders, self-storage is now …

Real estate development is one alternative investment corner that often gets overlooked, and Fred Hubler makes the case for adding a small allocation to a portfolio otherwise built on already-completed properties via DSTs and REITs. He notes that real estate development funds can hedge against inflation and rising interest rates, citing the current prime rate of 8.5%. He describes development …

Digital infrastructure surrounds us every day, though most people never think about it, and Fred Hubler frames it as a fast-growing alternative investment asset class. As technology accelerates, he explains, physical infrastructure has to keep pace, echoing the same accumulation trend he covered in an earlier piece on self-storage, except here what’s piling up is data rather than physical belongings. …

With recession talk building for 2024, geopolitical tension, and interest rate hikes weighing on investors, Fred Hubler looks at how the biggest players are responding: institutional investors, who collectively manage around $20 trillion in assets. He notes that the old playbook of leaning on bonds during a stock market slump proved unreliable in 2022, since traditional, liquid investments can still …