JPMorgan issued its 28th annual Long-Term Capital Markets Assumptions report, which provides long-term forecasts for various asset classes in addition to detailing risks and upside catalysts. One of the recommendations in its report is to add a 25% position to alternative investments which it believes will increase returns by 60 basis points on an annual basis while also reducing volatility. 

In terms of the 60/40 portfolio, JPMorgan is forecasting annual returns of 7% which is a slight decrease from last year’s forecast of 7.2% annual returns. Pulkit Sharma, JPMorgan’s head of real assets and alternative investment strategy, remarked, “The alternative asset classes are becoming more essential than optional in the broader 60/40 toolkit. Inflation is going to be more and more sticky, so you need more diversifiers and inflation-sensitive asset classes.” 

The bank also believes that investors need to seek out diversification especially, since it expects continued geopolitical uncertainty and volatility stemming from central bank decisions. Fixed income is simply not an effective diversifier in higher-inflation environments as evidenced by the last couple of years. Some of the alternative assets it recommends boosting diversification are real assets, hedge funds, and private credit. 

Finsum: In its annual long-term review and forecast of various asset classes, JPMorgan slightly reduced its expectation of long-term returns for a 60/40 portfolio and stressed the role of alternatives to boost returns and improve diversification.