Alternatives Navigating private markets for insurers
The Invesco Solutions team shares their views on a range of private market asset classes and investment implications for insurers.
Amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty, we remain neutral on how we’re allocating risk within our alternatives portfolio. Base interest rate reduction has paused, and the oil shock from the Iran conflict is expected to increase inflation and long-term rates. We favour defensive assets, such as private debt, real assets, and hedged strategies. (Read the complete Alternative opportunities Q2 insights)
We remain overweight direct lending as we believe all-in yields remain attractive for senior positioning, especially in the core middle market. Significant private equity dry powder and a backlog of exits point to a continuation of improved deal activity. We’re also overweight real estate credit, given high levels of current income potential and a recovering real estate equity market.
|
Overall |
Valuations |
Fundamentals |
Secular trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Direct lending |
Overweight |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Attractive |
Real asset credit |
Overweight |
Attractive |
Neutral |
Attractive |
Alternative credit |
Overweight |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Attractive |
Source: Invesco, Alternative Opportunities – Q2 outlook, pg. 5
We remain modestly underweight private equity. Beneath the surface, we’re beginning to normalise our views on leveraged buyouts versus growth strategies. PE free cash flow yields have risen in Q1, continuing a trend we’ve seen since 2012 and improving relative to public equities.
|
Overall |
Valuations |
Fundamentals |
Secular trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Private equity |
Underweight |
Unattractive |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Invesco, Alternative Opportunities – Q2 outlook, pg. 14
We remain slightly overweight in real assets, favouring income-driven, lower-capital-expense sectors in core real estate. Our infrastructure view is positive, supported by the correction in valuations, strong fundamentals, and powerful secular tailwinds.
|
Overall |
Valuations |
Fundamentals |
Secular trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Real estate |
Overweight |
Attractive |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Infrastructure |
Overweight |
Unattractive |
Attractive |
Attractive |
Invesco, Alternative Opportunities – Q2 outlook, pg. 23
Hedge funds with lower betas to market risk may be a valuable alternative within a portfolio, in our view. We continue to see hedge funds as attractive, however, our view is moderating as capital markets activity picks up and the outlook for stock markets improves.
|
Overall |
Valuations |
Fundamentals |
Secular trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Event-driven and arbitrage |
Overweight |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Attractive |
Systematic trend |
Overweight |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Attractive |
Invesco, Alternative Opportunities – Q2 outlook, pg. 31
Read the complete Q2 Alternative Opportunities report.
Our scale, combined with the breadth and depth of our offerings, means we have the flexibility to meet your needs as markets evolve.
The Invesco Solutions team shares their views on a range of private market asset classes and investment implications for insurers.
Insurers need to diversify return sources, reduce exposure to correlated shocks, and optimise capital efficiency. Selective allocations to private markets can help.
For European insurers, investment grade CLO tranches — especially AAA-rated — offer a practical way to increase yield, manage risk, and diversify portfolios