Curian is a registered investment adviser that provides a fee-based separately managed account (SMA) platform to financial professionals. The firm said the new strategy “uses a dynamic asset allocation approach that seeks to capture opportunities for growth while actively managing risk within the portfolio.”

Unlike traditional buy-and-hold asset allocation models that utilize long-term target allocations to major asset classes, Curian’s Tactical Advantage Strategy “incorporates a proactive approach to managing asset allocations within defined parameters set within a client’s base investment policy,” according to a press release. The goal is to capture incremental returns over time by tilting portfolio weightings toward asset classes that are deemed attractive, relative to other asset classes, based on cyclical trends in the market. “Tactical strategies are particularly well suited to times of increased volatility, when the long-term direction of the market is unclear,” the release said.

The strategy utilizes a proprietary asset allocation model developed exclusively for Curian by Ned Davis Research, Inc., an independent research firm. The Ned Davis Research model provides ongoing summary allocation recommendations based on an objective assessment of current primary market trends, Curian said.

Curian said its Asset Management Team uses these recommendations to execute its Tactical Advantage Strategy, instituting appropriate adjustments to the asset allocations as needed. The strategy uses multiple decision points within various asset classes and sub-asset classes, including equity and fixed income, global equity regions, U.S. equity market cap and style, and fixed-income sectors and duration.

Clients with an appropriate risk tolerance and time horizon can choose the Tactical Advantage Strategy through Curian’s simplified proposal process, the firm said. As with all of Curian’s Custom Style Portfolios, the new strategy can also be customized for clients.