Contact Us

If you still have questions or prefer to get help directly from an agent, please submit a request.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please fill out the contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

  • Courses
  • Tutoring
  • Home
  • Economics, Finance, & Analytics
  • Investments, Trading, and Financial Markets

Multi-Asset Class - Explained

What is a Multi-Asset Class?

Written by Jason Gordon

Updated at April 17th, 2022

Contact Us

If you still have questions or prefer to get help directly from an agent, please submit a request.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please fill out the contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

  • Marketing, Advertising, Sales & PR
    Principles of Marketing Sales Advertising Public Relations SEO, Social Media, Direct Marketing
  • Accounting, Taxation, and Reporting
    Managerial & Financial Accounting & Reporting Business Taxation
  • Professionalism & Career Development
  • Law, Transactions, & Risk Management
    Government, Legal System, Administrative Law, & Constitutional Law Legal Disputes - Civil & Criminal Law Agency Law HR, Employment, Labor, & Discrimination Business Entities, Corporate Governance & Ownership Business Transactions, Antitrust, & Securities Law Real Estate, Personal, & Intellectual Property Commercial Law: Contract, Payments, Security Interests, & Bankruptcy Consumer Protection Insurance & Risk Management Immigration Law Environmental Protection Law Inheritance, Estates, and Trusts
  • Business Management & Operations
    Operations, Project, & Supply Chain Management Strategy, Entrepreneurship, & Innovation Business Ethics & Social Responsibility Global Business, International Law & Relations Business Communications & Negotiation Management, Leadership, & Organizational Behavior
  • Economics, Finance, & Analytics
    Economic Analysis & Monetary Policy Research, Quantitative Analysis, & Decision Science Investments, Trading, and Financial Markets Banking, Lending, and Credit Industry Business Finance, Personal Finance, and Valuation Principles
  • Courses
+ More

Table of Contents

What is a Multi-Asset Class?How Does a Multi-Asset Class Work?Risk Tolerance FundsTarget Date FundsAdvantages of Multi-Asset Class Funds

What is a Multi-Asset Class?

A multi-asset class or a multi-asset fund consists of an amalgam of various asset classes including cash, bonds and equity, in which a person invests. As the name suggests, a multi-class asset comprises at least one asset class, and therefore, results in building a portfolio of given assets. Different investors have different investment objectives, and assign a different weightage to a preferred form of asset class.

Back to:INVESTMENTS & TRADING

How Does a Multi-Asset Class Work?

The investments in multi-asset class makes the investors portfolio more diversified. Instead of sticking to only one asset class, the allocation of such investments in various classes of assets lessens the risks and makes them less volatile. However, it may hurt future returns or earnings too. For instance, while a multi-asset class investor may invest in a pool of securities such as bonds, stocks, real property, and cash, and a single-class investor may tend to hold a single type of securities, say stocks. It is possible that one specific class of asset may offer awesome returns during a specific time period. However, there is no possibility that a specific asset class will continue performing amazingly in a consistent manner.

Risk Tolerance Funds

There are mutual fund organizations who provides its investors with asset allocation funds considering how much risk the investors want to take. Such funds are created keeping in mind how conservative or aggressive the investors are. Funds designed for aggressive investors will consider investing in equities more. A good example for aggressive funds will be of The Fidelity Asset Manager 85% fund (FAMRX) that allocate 85% funds in equities and the remaining chunk in cash and fixed income assets. In case of conservative investors, the majority of funds will be allocated to fixed income considering the stability factor. For example, the Fidelity Asset Manager 20% Fund (FASIX) allocates half of its funds in fixed income, 30% in short-term money market investments, and the remaining 20% in stocks.

Target Date Funds

Target Date Funds refer to the multi-asset funds that allocate funds as per the time horizon of the investor. The target fund that represents the personal time horizon of the investor will be investors first preference. For instance, if Mr. C has no retirement plans for the next 30 years should prefer going for the target funds of 2045 and beyond. The longer the time horizon, the more aggressive the target fund will be. However, a target date fund of 2050 will have 85% to 90% allocated to equities, and the remaining chunk either in short-term money market or fixed income securities. Investors who prefer short-time horizon would prefer more recent maturing funds. A person who is retiring in the next 5 years will be resistant to risks, and will prefer investing more in a target date fund with fixed income. His objective will revolve around capital preservation, instead of appreciation. Investors who don't consider selecting a specific asset allocation go for target date funds. The risks associated with target date funds as well as the time horizon reduce with the investors age. With the passage of time, the fund naturally shifts from equities to money market and fixed income.

Advantages of Multi-Asset Class Funds

While balanced funds emphasize on achieving a set standard, multi-asset class funds consist of a specific investment outcome, say, to exceed inflation. With too many options of making investments in categories such as securities, real estate, industries, and different types of securities, investors get a flexible approach to accomplish their objectives. They offer a more diversified portfolio rather than balance funds which is a mere amalgam of equities and fixed income. An expert or a group of experts can help managing multi-asset class funds so as to enhance returns and minimize risks.

multi-asset class

Was this article helpful?

Yes
No

Related Articles

  • Dry Powder (Finance) - Explained
  • Standard and Poor's Ratings - Explained
  • Pooled Investment Vehicle - Explained
  • Dividend Yield - Explained



©2011-2021. The Business Professor, LLC.
  • Privacy

  • Questions

Definition by Author

0
0
Expand