erryl:

It is a little difficult to know exactly how to classify stuff, but I think that I would consider pipelines as infrastructure.  I have listed below some of the classifications I made in my own portfolio.

I put JEC and HSC in infrastructure.  Both are companies engaged in construction and services/ngineering for large projects.

Since I've been struggling with some of the same questions, I'd love to engage in this discussion.

I had some questions about MERKX... and I decided foreign bonds was the closest for this currency fund..

I had the same question, and left it in with the bonds, though the currency angle is more like a commodity play, isn't it?

I own some GEX, which is a solar and wind alternative energy ETF.  I was torn here so I put 50% in commodities (as alternative energy rises and falls with the price of oil) and 50% as infrastructure.  I could see an argument against what I have done. .

Okay, I'll help by spelling out some of that argument. GEX is mostly industrials, with some tech and utilities. The utilities side is infrastructure; but mostly the stocks have reacted megatively to oil prices, in close correlation with QQQQ. So I don't see this as commodity-oriented at all. If it were, I'd be adding instead of selling it off!

I own some Boeing ;-( and I input this as infrastructure (airplanes)..

That is really a stretch, IMO.

Steel companies (NUE, RIO, and SLX)... I was again torn and input these as 50% commodities and 50% infrastructure..

Again, I had the same conflict. RIO is mining, not steel, so I stretched the commodity category to include "basic materials."  I put MT and PKX in infrastructure.

RYN is a lumber company that also develops real estate... I input this as 75% commodities (lumber) and 25% real estate.

I had the same idea, but dividing the holding makes my spreadsheet too complicated. I went with the commodity side, although either way you look at it it's a long-term real asset play.

CGMFX is my special situations fund (it has a lot of energy and infrastructure stocks), because it shorts and can go anywhere..

Interesting. My "special situations" is overloaded with bear funds right now, but when we no longer need those, I might join you.

 On the private equity front, I ran across an interesting pick: InvestorAB (http://www.investorab.com/en/) , which trades only in Stockholm under the ticker INVEB. It appeared in an article about ratings changes by European analysts, and had a stunning overload of "buy" ratings.... but I haven't been able to find any real analysis or even earnings reports. All I could find out is that, unlike BDC's in the US, it pays no dividend! So ... if anyone has access to appropriate research on this, please share. :-)

Aalan