The key to success with this asset class is finding uncorrelated alternative assets that reduce risk and provide a 'sleep at night' factor to a portfolio.
A useful article from Cuffelinks outlining how alternative assets can add value in the retirement phase.
Hedge funds (also known as 'absolute return' funds) use alternative investment strategies that are more complex than traditional managed funds. Moneysmart covers what they are, the benefits and risks and things to consider before investing.
A commodity is a basic good used in commerce and there is a range of ways to invest in them. Learn about the 4 types of commodities and explore Investopedia's series of tutorials on commodity investing.
Gold suits some investors and not others - to help you work out whether gold is right for you check out Ratecity's pros and cons of investing in gold.
Interested in collectables as part of your portfolio? Here are some questions to consider, the pros and cons as well as a look at the rules for SMSFs when investing in collectables.