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Private Markets

Coverage, charts, video and research on Private Markets for universal owners.

Latest in Private Markets
Private Markets

The NCREIF Index, Explained

The NCREIF Index is the primary performance benchmark for institutional real estate investors, measuring net returns of open-end core funds. It has tracked commingled fund performance since 1978.

UAO Editorial · Jul 6, 2026
The GP Manages the Clock

The GP Manages the Clock

Private markets promised long-horizon investors an illiquidity premium. They did not promise that capital calls, redemptions, collateral, distributions, and sponsor demands would remain separate events.

UAO Editorial · Jul 4, 2026
Private Markets

Infrastructure Investment Returns: Benchmarks and Evidence

Institutional infrastructure investors benchmark returns against MSCI, Cambridge Associates, and Preqin indices. Core strategies yield 5–6% net annually; value-add and opportunistic approaches target higher returns with corresponding risk.

UAO Editorial · Jul 4, 2026
Private Markets

Private Equity Returns Over 10 Years: What the Data Shows

Ten-year private equity performance data reveals divergent outcomes by vintage and fund type. Net returns have trended toward mid-teens IRRs, with significant dispersion across geographies and strategies.

UAO Editorial · Jul 3, 2026
Private Markets

Venture Capital vs Private Equity: The Key Differences

Venture capital and private equity serve distinct portfolio roles. VC pursues venture-scale returns in nascent companies; PE deploys larger capital bases into established enterprises with operational leverage and debt optimization.

UAO Editorial · Jul 3, 2026
Private Markets

Real Estate vs Infrastructure: How Asset Owners Allocate

Institutional investors balance real estate's income stability and liquidity against infrastructure's inflation-linked returns and longer duration matching. Allocation decisions reflect liability structure, regional exposure, and yield environment.

UAO Editorial · Jul 3, 2026
Private Markets

Public Equity vs Private Equity Returns: The Long-Run Evidence

Institutional research shows private equity has outperformed public markets on a net-of-fees basis since 2000, though performance dispersion among PE managers remains wide. Public equities deliver lower absolute returns but superior liquidity and lower costs.

UAO Editorial · Jul 3, 2026
Private Markets

Operational Due Diligence in Private Equity, Explained

Operational due diligence examines the human and functional infrastructure of PE acquisition targets. It complements financial and legal reviews by assessing execution risk, management bench strength, and operational improvement potential.

UAO Editorial · Jul 3, 2026
Private Markets

Listed vs Unlisted Infrastructure: How Institutions Choose

Institutional investors evaluate listed infrastructure REITs against unlisted funds based on liquidity requirements, return profiles, and operational involvement. Listed markets provide transparency and daily pricing; unlisted structures offer yield premiums and strategic influence.

UAO Editorial · Jul 1, 2026
Private Markets

The Illiquidity Premium in Private Markets, Explained

The illiquidity premium quantifies the additional return private market investors demand for restricted access to capital and extended redemption timelines. This spread reflects structural market frictions including capital lock-up duration, valuation transparency gaps, and exit pathway uncertainty.

UAO Editorial · Jul 1, 2026
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