Introduction to Alternative Investments

This session is designed to provide students with an understanding of alternative investments and their respective risk/return profiles. Students will have an understanding of this growing space and will be able to identify opportunities for a client's portfolio, as well as understand the difference between these investments and traditional asset classes.

Alternative investments offer potential benefits like portfolio diversification and enhanced returns, serving as valuable complements to traditional stocks and bonds. However, they also present unique characteristics and risks, including limited liquidity, reduced transparency, and specialized fee structures.

This course provides a clear overview of the alternative investment universe, exploring the six main categories that are shaping modern portfolios:

• Hedge Funds
• Private Equity
• Private Debt
• Commodities
• Real Estate
• Infrastructure

By completing this course, you will gain the knowledge and insight to confidently discuss these various types of alternative investments, understand their associated risk and return trade-offs, and better assess their potential role within a client's overall investment portfolio.