BlackRock Says 24% of Retirement Plans Weigh Alternative Assets

BlackRock Inc. said 24% of retirement plans are considering adding alternative assets over the next year, highlighting the potential for some of the trillions of dollars sitting in those accounts to flow into private equity, credit and other investments.

Default target-date funds were the most likely type of product that the plans said they would potentially use to include alternatives alongside stocks and bonds, BlackRock said in a survey released Monday. Of the plans considering adding alternative assets, 30% said they would add a standalone private fund to a menu of investment options for savers.