Editions
Market Compass Oct 26
The Scottish Widows view on markets to help inform client conversations
Our quarterly Market Compass brings together our investment experts' views on markets, asset classes and the key longer-term themes and trends we believe are shaping the outlook ahead, helping you stay up to date and bring fresh perspectives to client conversations.
Market sense
Our CIO Peter Fitzgerald’s perspective on the markets, economic forces and investment themes shaping Scottish Widows' strategic outlook
Global markets watch Q3
A quick view of our short and longer-term outlook for different asset classes, highlighting key risks and opportunities.
Market review Q3 2026
A straightforward look back at the quarter's market performance, key events and economic trends impacting investors.
US interest rates have risen in response to persistent inflation
Explores a key data point shaping markets, providing advisers with insight and context to support informed client discussions.
Retirement report 2026: The impact of vulnerability
The Scottish Widows Retirement Report 2026 part 4: The Impact of Vulnerability explores how health challenges, financial pressures and life events can affect people's ability to save for retirement.
Scottish Widows' Retirement Report research shows that vulnerability is a common part of life, with around six in ten UK adults experiencing at least one characteristic of vulnerability.
The report examines the links between vulnerability, financial resilience and retirement outcomes, highlighting the need for more flexible support, better engagement and a retirement system that reflects the realities of modern life.
Vulnerability is not a niche issue
Vulnerability is a reality for millions of UK adults, shaping retirement outcomes through health, finances and changing life circumstances.
The vulnerability challenge and what it means for retirement
Health issues, financial pressures and caring responsibilities can disrupt retirement saving and increase the risk of poorer outcomes.
Designing a retirement experience around real people
Retirement support should reflect real lives, combining simple digital tools, clear guidance and human support when needed.
Managing vulnerability
Better resilience, flexible support and understanding customer needs can help people stay on track towards retirement goals.
Closing the Advice Participation Gap
Closing the advice participation gap
What started as a study into women and wealth uncovered a much bigger challenge facing the advice industry.
Designing advice that works for everyone
Discover how closing the advice participation gap can help more clients engage meaningfully and unlock stronger outcomes for families and...
Getting into advice
Many people know they need advice but never get started. Discover what's holding them back.
Participating in advice
Being a client doesn't always mean being involved. Explore the different ways people participate in advice.
Advice through life
Life rarely follows a straight path. Discover how advice can support clients through life's biggest moments.
The participation-first advice firm
What does a participation-first advice business look like? Explore the opportunity for firms ready to evolve.
IHT, participation, and the future of advice
Our expert panel explore the findings from our new research, Closing the advice participation gap, alongside the changing inheritance tax...
Investment perspectives: September 26
This month’s Investment Perspectives features our Head of Asset Allocation and Market Insight, Matt Brennan, considering where to find the second-round beneficiaries of AI. Meanwhile, Mithesh Varsani, Head of Investment Solutions takes a closer look at OEICs and ETFs, and what advisers might want to consider when it comes to client options.
And, with the publication of our latest Responsible Investment & Stewardship report, we explore systems-level stewardship and what advisers should look for when assessing investment manager approaches.
We also feature our August market review as well as third-party contributions on market concentration, dynamics driving demand for silver, and an exploration of US microcaps.
Global investment market review: August 2026
During August 2026, the MSCI ACWI Index, a representative measure of global equities across developed and emerging markets, added 1.9%...
OEICs versus ETFs
ETFs have become one of the investment industry’s biggest growth stories. Low charges, defined index exposure and intraday dealing make...
Second wave: Where does the next AI opportunity lie?
The potential for AI to bring about a sea change in ways of living and working has led to soaring...
Why stewardship needs to look beyond individual companies
Responsible investment and stewardship is often associated with company engagement on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, such as encouraging...
Think you're diversified? Look again
As global markets become more concentrated, investors may need to look beneath fund labels to understand what is really driving...
Are US Micro-Caps the market’s best kept secret?
Even with a triple-digit positive return off the April 2025 low, many investors seem unaware of this target-rich, broad, and...
Silver, AI and next-generation demand
Ned Naylor-Leyland, Chris Mahoney and Joe Lunn discuss silver mine supply and demand dynamics, and the potential impact of the...
Investment perspectives: August 26
In Investment perspectives this month, Mithesh Varsani, Head of Investment Solutions looks at the importance of understanding sequencing risk and longevity risk in decumulation strategies and how managing these can help advisers deliver a balance between growth and income sustainability.
We also consider how infrastructure can contribute to diversified multi-asset portfolios and look at the key trade-offs advisers need to weigh up. Meanwhile Matt Brennan, Head of Asset Allocation, discusses market concentration and the opportunities and risks it can bring.
We also feature our July market review plus third-party contributions on multi-asset investing, the need to look beyond AI, and the costs of waiting to invest.
Global investment market review: July 2026
During July 2026, the MSCI ACWI Index, a representative measure of global equities across developed and emerging markets, declined 1.3%....
Sequencing risk and longevity risk
For many clients, retirement is no longer a brief period after work. It can be a multi-decade phase of life,...
Infrastructure in multi-asset portfolios
Over the past decade, advisers have increasingly broadened their investment toolkit beyond traditional equities and bonds.
Market concentration: What does it mean for equity markets?
Market concentration is one of the key characteristics of today’s equity markets. In the US, the ten largest companies account...
Why the 60/40 debate misses the bigger picture
Recent market volatility and shifting asset class correlations have prompted a familiar question: can the traditional 60/40 equity–bond portfolio still...
The cost of waiting for certainty
Why investors may be better served by deliberate diversification and flexibility than waiting for certainty in today’s unsettled markets.
There’s more to growth than AI
For many of the past several years, investor enthusiasm has been concentrated in a narrow group of AI-related and technology...
Retirement report 2026: The role of technology and AI in retirement decision making
Part Three explores technology and AI are set to play an increasingly important role in helping people engage with their pensions and make retirement decisions. The latest findings from the 2026 Scottish Widows Retirement Report explore how innovations such as pension dashboards, open finance, gamified learning and AI-powered support could make retirement planning more accessible and intuitive.
While awareness of AI is widespread, trust remains a significant barrier, particularly for higher-stakes financial decisions. The research highlights both the opportunities and challenges ahead, showing how technology could help close the advice gap, improve engagement and widen access to support, provided it is implemented with appropriate safeguards, transparency and consumer protections.
The role of technology and AI in retirement decision making
Technology can help people find pensions, understand finances, access support and make more informed retirement decisions.
Taking a closer look at AI
Find out how AI could help explain pensions, improve financial guidance and support retirement planning, while addressing concerns around trust...
Technology can make pensions and investing easier to understand
AI can improve financial understanding and engagement, but robust safeguards are needed for higher-stakes retirement decisions.
Retirement report 2026: Retirement income decisions and support
Part Two of Retirement Report 2026 explores the decisions people face when turning their pension savings into retirement income. While pension freedoms have given people greater choice and flexibility, many still lack confidence in their options and access support too late. The report examines awareness, decision-making behaviours, advice and guidance needs, and the policy reforms that could help people achieve better retirement outcomes.
Retirement income decisions and support
Retirement income choices are growing more complex, highlighting the need for earlier engagement, clearer support and accessible guidance.
The retirement income conundrum
Many people approach retirement with limited understanding of their options and often seek advice too late to maximise outcomes.
Access to pensions is a matter of choice
Pension freedoms offer flexibility, but understanding retirement income options and their trade-offs remains challenging for many savers.
Policy recommendations
Targeted support, dashboards and trusted digital tools have a pivotal role to play in can helping people make more informed...
Navigating Inheritance Tax Planning
The inclusion of pension wealth in Inheritance Tax (IHT) from April 2027 is set to reshape the financial planning landscape. As clients seek guidance on the implications for their financial plans, advisers have an opportunity to demonstrate their value, strengthen long-term relationships and help clients deliver a ‘tidy legacy'.
Explore our insights, articles and expert perspectives to help you navigate the evolving landscape and support clients with confidence.
Futureproofing your bereavement proposition
Prepare for the 2027 pension inheritance tax changes and their impact on bereavement propositions, estate administration and adviser support.
Inheritance tax planning – what does the future hold?
Recorded in May 2025, this vodcast explores the proposed 2027 inheritance tax changes and their implications for advisers and clients.
How the future IHT changes can reshape the value of advice
How advisers can help clients leave a tidy legacy, demonstrating their value as pension IHT changes reshape intergenerational planning.
Practical steps to get ahead of IHT and pension changes
Prepare for the 2027 pension inheritance tax changes and their impact on wealth transfer and estate planning.
Investment perspectives: July 26
In this edition of Investment Perspectives, Matt Brennan, Head of Asset Allocation, takes a closer look at bonds, how they work in multi-asset portfolios, and what investors need to consider.
With changes to the cash ISA ahead, Mithesh Varsani, Head of Investment Solutions, explores the opportunity this presents for new client conversations. In that same vein, we review the latest Scottish Widows research into investor attitudes to responsible investing and how this presents a chance for advisers to add value to existing clients and future prospects.
In addition, we feature our Q2 market review and Q3 outlook, as well as third-party contributions on the benefits of AI, updated views on market fundamentals, and a deeper look at Asian equities.
Global investment market review: Q2 2026
Over the second quarter of 2026, the MSCI ACWI Index, a representative measure of global equities across developed and emerging...
Shorter-term market outlook: Q2 2026
Though we manage funds for the long term, here are our thoughts on markets as we look forward over the...
Responsible investing – what retail investor attitudes could mean for advisers
New Scottish Widows research into more than 2,000 UK retail investors and first-time investment considerers suggests that many clients now...
Beyond the Cash ISA changes: helping clients rethink the role of cash
The announced reduction in the annual Cash ISA allowance from £20,000 to £12,000 for under-65s from April 2027 has brought...
Bonds aren’t what they used to be. Or are they?
Bonds have traditionally been a source of defensiveness, predictable income flow, portfolio diversification, and some capital appreciation for conventional well-balanced...
Asian equities need more than a good story
Everyone loves a good story, and almost nowhere more so than in Asian equities, where investors are drawn to themes...
Multi-Asset: Boring is still beautiful for the second half of 2026
Looking ahead to the next six months, Richard Bernstein, Global Head of Macro & Customized Investing, explains why it may...
Beyond hype: AI benefits taking shape
A recent research-driven investment trip by Columbia Threadneedle Investments reinforced how AI is delivering real efficiency and productivity gains –...
Investment perspectives: June 26
In this edition of Investment Perspectives, Matt Brennan, Head of Asset Allocation, explores the record-breaking SpaceX IPO and why not all IPOs soar to such heights.
We consider how emerging EMEA markets can help advisers broaden their portfolio diversification. And turning to AI and its intensive resource use, we look at what companies and investors should consider int terms of decarbonisation planning.
In addition, we feature a May market review and third-party contributions on the changing US market, find value in India, and why monthly rebalancing can be an adviser’s competitive edge.
Global investment market review: May 2026
In May, the MSCI ACWI Index, a representative measure of global equities across developed and emerging markets, added 6% in...
Emerging EMEA: the overlooked diversifier?
Global equity investing has become increasingly concentrated in recent years, with the strength of US markets – particularly large-cap technology...
Watch this Space: An IPO for the ages?
In the wake of the SpaceX IPO (initial public offering) in June – the biggest in history – Matt Brennan,...
AI energy and resource use
As AI drives up electricity demand, companies and investors face tough questions: are net zero plans adapting to the reality...
Beneath the surface, the US market is changing
Royce Investment Partners: Co-CIO Francis Gannon looks at how recent performance may be subtly announcing a turning point in market...
Why monthly rebalancing is your competitive edge
Here's a question for your practice: how often are your clients' portfolios being realigned? If the answer is ‘quarterly’ or...
India’s quality, at a discount
Avinash Vazirani and Colin Croft set out why their approach to finding reasonably priced stocks has important lessons for active...