What investment option is classified as a fixed-income asset?

Preferred shares are often treated as fixed-income-type investments because they usually pay a fixed dividend and rank ahead of common shares in claims on corporate assets and income. Although preferred shares are legally equity, their income characteristics and sensitivity to interest rates make them closer to fixed-income securities for many portfolio management purposes. Rental property and real estate investment trust securities are real estate-related investments, not fixed-income assets. A hedge fund is an alternative investment vehicle that may use many different strategies, including leverage, short selling, derivatives, or arbitrage, but it is not classified as a fixed-income asset by default. Among the choices, preferred shares are the only investment option with fixed-income characteristics.