As we turn the page to 2026, investors find themselves navigating a market that has defied expectations. The volatility of early 2025 — driven by geopolitical uncertainty and policy reversals — gave way to a powerful rebound, reminding us that fundamentals (the key principles of investing), not headlines, ultimately steer the course of markets. The recession fears have faded, replaced by signs of reacceleration across global economies. In this year’s outlook, we explore the forces shaping this new phase of the cycle and what they mean for investors seeking clarity amid the noise.
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Many investors struggle to keep their emotions in check when making investment decisions. After all, we’re human beings; our instincts often dictate our behaviour, even in the face of hard facts and rationality. These four strategies can help you to avoid making impulsive decisions and keep your financial plan on track.
Many investors struggle to keep their emotions in check when making investment decisions. After all, we’re human beings; our instincts often dictate our behaviour, even in the face of hard facts and rationality. These four strategies can help you to avoid making impulsive decisions and keep your financial plan on track.
It’s rather easy to sum up 2024. “It exceeded expectations” is the most obvious way to put it. Even the most optimistic projections were well shy of the eye-catching gains investors experienced across equity and fixed income markets in 2024. Positive market surprises shouldn’t come as too much of a shock though, as the markets have a way of making forecasting the year ahead a futile and frustrating exercise. The markets don’t operate on a timeline dictated by forecasts, which is why we prefer to focus on the trends with any forecast, rather than try and hit the bullseye.