alternative investments

ONE TO WATCH

Rare stamps, wine, and art are among the most popular collectible alternative assets, while space memorabilia has also made the top ten following the death of astronaut Neil Armstrong.

One of the largest companies in the US specialising in reuniting investors with their lost investments has launched in the UK, revealing there is an estimated £70bn of unclaimed financial assets owed to investors.

Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has hired Lynda Shillaw as director of real estate.

MULTI-ASSET

Stamp dealership firm Stanley Gibbons plans to launch a fund investing in rare stamps later this year, allowing UK investors access to the rapid growth of this market.

Could this be the most cynical investment idea ever hatched? Novitas has launched a Divorce Litigation fund which aims to "cover the rising costs of divorce" in an environment where traditional bank lending is still hard to come by.

Following the announcement of Robert Parker's latest wine scores, Scott Assemakis, managing director and founder of European Fine Wines, analyses the state of the asset class.

Britain's most expensive stamp, a 'plate 77 Penny Red', has been sold for £550,000 to a private client seeking portfolio diversification.

FMG, a specialist emerging markets investment firm, has launched a Mongolian-focussed investment fund.