Almost half of surveyed self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trustees have significantly changed their asset allocation during the past 12 months, according to AMP Capital.
AMP Capital said trustees were looking for diversification thanks to recent sharemarket volatility, with a quarter of trustees having a negative view of Australian shares, compared to 11 per cent in 2015.
AMP Capital head of self-directed wealth and SMSF, Tim Keegan, said "we're seeing an increasing number of trustees wanting investment options that improve their fund's diversification. However, 83 per cent of investors say they face difficulty managing their SMSF, including a lack of time to research and select the right investments".
"Our research found selecting the right investment is the top concern for 35 per cent of trustees while 31 per cent would like to receive advice on investment strategies and protection," he said.
The research also found there was an increase in commercial property and infrastructure investments and 51 per cent of trustees used managed funds, up from 49 per cent in 2015.
"Trustees are telling us they are interested in managed funds as they can hold unique investments that are otherwise unavailable to retail investors, such as global infrastructure and property," Keegan said.
"Eighty-nine per cent of trustees in the survey said access to these investments and the diversification benefits were their top reasons for wanting to invest in a managed fund."
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