Alternative mutual fund assets are expected to double their share of total mutual fund assets, according to the Boston, MA-based research firm Cerulli Associates.

Alternative mutual fund assets are expected to double their share of total mutual fund assets, according to the Boston, MA-based research firm Cerulli Associates.

The research comes from Cerulli's report, Alternative Products and Strategies 2014: Identifying Opportunities in a Dynamic Investment Landscape, which focuses on the US retail and institutional alternative product landscape.

Michele Giuditta, associate director at Cerulli, noted that as of year-end 2013 alternative mutual fund assets comprised 3 per cent of total mutual fund assets. But asset managers expect this to grow to 6 per cent by 2015, Giuditta said.

“Steady growth of alternative mutual fund use is expected by advisors and individuals in the years to come,” Giuditta explained. “Current allocations are well below target levels, so there is an opportunity for investment managers to raise assets.”