Alternative Investments, 4 W-WHA
If stocks, bonds, and cash are the "big three" of traditional investments, alternatives ("alts") would be everything else. Learn about commodities, precious metals, derivatives, real estate, art, and collectiblesâand the institutional traders and fund managers who invest in them.
Alternative Investments Encyclopedia Articles By Title
4 ways to get started in real estate
Real estate investing offers a range of ways to own an alternative asset (that is, an investment outside the traditional......
Alternative investments: Beyond stocks and bonds
Alternative investments (âaltsâ) refer to investable assets that donât fit within the conventional, âtraditionalâ......
Carried interest and the tax loophole: Hereâs how it works
When it comes to controversial tax topics, carried interest and the carried interest tax loophole carry some baggage,......
Direct peer-to-peer lending: An alternative investment?
Have you ever made a mortgage or other debt payment and wished you were on the other side of the table? When you......
Gold-plated investing strategy? Shiny metal and your portfolio
Gold. Silver. Platinum. Palladium. Theyâre called precious metals because theyâre scarce, durable, and hard to......
Hedge funds: How they work, types of strategies, and some of the big players
Hedge funds are one of several types of alternative investments available to high-net-worth individuals and institutions.......
How to invest in art and collectibles: From pastime to portfolio
Investing in art and other collectibles offers some features that traditional stock and bond investing simply canât:......
Oil benchmarks: Why crude prices arenât one-size-fits-all
When geopolitical tensions put oil-producing countries in the headlines, oil and oil prices tend to be treated......
Private equity: What is it, and can I invest in it?
Private equity investing sounds like what it means: Investing in companies that are not publicly traded. But behind......
Rare earth metals: What are they, and are they a solid investment?
The topic of rare earth metals (or rare earth elements) may not be the hottest on Wall Street, but it seems to......
REITs: Targeting income, capital appreciation, and diversification
As far as real estate platitudes go, âBuy landâtheyâre not making it anymoreâ might apply to you as an individual......
Strategic and critical minerals: What they are and how to invest in them
In July 2025, a U.S. mining company made headlines with two major investments that underscore the increasing importance......
The energy market: Oil, solar, and everything in between
The energy market powers homes, businesses, and entire economies, offering investors a way to invest in the resources......
The liquefied natural gas (LNG) market: From regional to global commodity
Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, has transformed natural gas from a regional to a global commodity. With that shift,......
The swaps market: How companies manage interest rate and other risks with OTC derivatives
Suppose a company has a pile of long-term, fixed-rate debt, and they would prefer that some of it be of shorter......
What are commodities? The raw materials driving the global economy
Commodities such as copper, crude oil, natural gas, soybeans, and sugar are the raw ingredients that feed and power......
What is a business development company? Understanding public and private BDCs
Business development companies (BDCs) are investment entities that focus on supporting smaller private enterprises.......
What is private credit? A guide to direct lending
When investors look to yield-bearing assets in the alternative debt universe, itâs usually to pursue higher yields......