Three alternative investments and ways to handle them

Until recently bonds were the stalwart of most portfolios, acting as the natural hedge for a downturn in equity markets. But policy makers' slackening of monetary policy put paid to that and drove bond markets to unfathomable highs (yields got lower). Investors are faced with a choice: either commit more capital to get the same returns, or creep up the risk spectrum. Neither seems terribly appealing. So what are the alternatives? Cue, a raft of hopefuls in the form of specialist vehicles professing to be the next best thing. Whilst advisers ought to be aware of the risks, sadly tho...