Trends Watch: June 8, 2017

EisnerAmper’s Trends Watch is a weekly entry to our Alternative Investments Intelligence blog, featuring the views and insights of executives from alternative investment firms. If you’re interested in being featured, please contact Elana Margulies-Snyderman.  

This week, Elana talks to Art DeGaetano, Founder & CIO, Bramshill Investments.

What is your outlook for alternative investments?

I think the outlook for alternatives has become extremely fee-driven just like every other product in the financial world. Investors are focusing on net-of-fee returns. The reason for fee compression in every product is because the returns have not lived up to their billing. Whether that means active mutual funds becoming ETFs or whether hedge fund money is going into 40 Act, this trend will continue for a long time.

What is your outlook for the economy?

We are constructive on the economy. There will be incremental growth which will be realized as part of the Trump agenda. We believe the U.S. economy will grow faster than the 1.9% GDP growth witnessed in 2016.  It will be incrementally positive 50-75 basis points. It will be a 2.5-3% growth economy.

What keeps you up at night?

Because of the information age we are in and because information travels so quickly, we have to become experts on everything from the price of oil to the Chinese economy or how we handle a Syrian refugee crisis -- all of which impact the markets. Some of the macro events that are unpredictable keep us up at night.