Regular readers will remember that in 2007, portable alpha and 130/30 were deemed to be “up and coming” by management consultancy Casey Quirk & Associates (see related posting).  The firm surveyed 49 North American investment consulting firms and found that portable alpha, liability-driven investing and 130/30 “may not represent a search focus, but see rising interest in conducting search activity.”   

Casey Quirk just released the results of its 2008 survey.  And this new edition concludes that 130/30 and LDI remain “up and coming”, but portable alpha has been told to clear out its desk and move to “low opportunity” with commodities and fixed income.  (”Low opportunity” is defined by the report as any asset class “faced with declining interest and little focus from the consultants in 2008.”)

Here is how Casey Quirk saw the world back in March 2007…

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