But within the alternatives space it has been property that has seen the most upheaval, with many open-ended offerings placing restrictions on their funds as redemptions rocketed following the Brexit result. Of the five 100 Club members in the Property category, none were forced to suspend trading, despite only one – Talisein Property – being structured as an investment trust.
As a result, the combined average one-year performance of the five property members of 13.7 per cent was almost double the IA Property sector average of 7.7 per cent, in sterling terms. The members also outpaced the AIC Property – Direct UK sector average return of 11.7 per cent, suggesting that it is not always the structure of the vehicle that is most important when picking an investment.
While there have been plenty of disruptive events that in the past may have derailed the performance of specialist and alternative sectors, it seems investors are continuing to look beyond the traditional options to find the best opportunities, regardless of the global economic and political outlook.
Nyree Stewart is features editor at Investment Adviser
