Fund Selector Survey

RISK READINESS AT THE FORE

Uncertainty drives demand for risk management and volatility-dampening strategies

ALLOCATING TO RESILIENCE

Driven by precarious geopolitical and economic conditions, fund selectors are increasingly seeking risk-minded managers and volatility-dampening strategies. Trends in fund selection also show demand for income and diversification, with allocations to public fixed income and private markets expected to rise.

Read our latest Gatekeeper Pulse® survey for insights on the attitudes, allocation plans, and issues that matter most to key decision-makers in fund selection. Research participants include 210 gatekeepers who work for global financial firms in Europe and Asia and manage a combined $31 trillion in assets (USD).

TOP TRENDS AMONG FUND GATEKEEPERS

MOST BULLISH ABOUT BONDS

  • Over one-third of gatekeepers indicate plans for increased public fixed income allocations with a similar amount recommending higher private credit allocations.
  • Gatekeepers prioritise income and diversification via high-quality bonds (e.g., government bonds, IG credit) and plan to pursue outperformance amid mounting macro risks (e.g., high yield, EM debt).

AFFINITY FOR LIQUIDITY

  • In public markets, gatekeepers show a preference for liquidity in the face of ample risks and concerns from a macro standpoint.
  • Open-end funds and ETFs are preferred to facilitate repositioning as market conditions shift, and gatekeepers favour certain thematic investments, like AI, as priorities for finding differentiated outperformance.

RECALCULATING RISK

  • Gatekeepers consider risk management processes as a pivotal factor in fund selection, even more so when it comes to alternatives funds and choppy market environments.
  • More than eight in 10 gatekeepers say risk management is as important as track record when selecting an alternatives manager.

PRIVATE MARKET PRIORITIES

  • Gatekeepers expect further growth in alternatives, as infrastructure, private equity and private credit top the list of asset classes where firms expect to raise allocations.
  • Within these broader private market categories, fund selectors focus on consistent, stable returns and strong risk management rather than pure performance.

GATEKEEPER PULSE

Our research explores the issues that matter most to billion-dollar decision-makers in fund selection.

PRIORITIES SHAPED BY LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

Survey responses suggest unique regional preferences between fund gatekeepers in Europe and Asia.


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