We kick 2026 off with an article from Matt Brennan, Head of Asset Allocation, looking at what the year ahead could mean for investment markets. Meanwhile, our Head of Portfolio Management, Heather Coulson, shares her thoughts on the key areas to watch out for in 2026.
We also look at the hidden costs of investing and how you can manage and reduce those costs for your clients. And our Head of Responsible Investment, Eva Cairns, considers the key responsible investment trends for 2026 and how you can navigate them.
In addition, we feature our Q4 market update and third-party contributions on China’s franchising landscape, the importance of considering physical climate risks, and how the AI economy could play out.
Global investment market review: Q4 2025 – performance & highlights
The MSCI ACWI Index, a representative measure of global equities across developed and emerging markets, increased 3.4% over the fourth...
2026 Outlook: Keeping a weather eye upon markets
Sunny skies or cloudy with a chance of rain? Matt Brennan, Head of Asset Allocation at Scottish Widows, considers some...
Investment Outlook 2026 – areas we’re watching
In this short film, our Head of Portfolio Management, Heather Coulson, shares her thoughts on the year ahead and the...
Uncovering the hidden costs of investing – and how to limit them for your clients
When managing money for clients, the focus is of course on portfolio performance and resultant financial returns. Yet fund transaction...
Responsible investment trends for 2026
As we enter 2026 following a year of increased polarisation for sustainable finance, the responsible investment landscape continues to evolve...
Follow the smart money franchises: Why China’s best franchise models will define its economic future
As China rebalances toward a service-driven model of growth, franchising may become one of the country’s most consequential institutional innovations...
Why physical climate risk demands investor attention
For years, investors have focused on climate transition risk – policy shifts, regulatory changes and technological disruption. But the story...
AI economic scenarios: revolutionary growth, or recessionary bubble?
Investors’ focus into 2026 is turning increasingly to AI-related risk: is it a stock market bubble that is about burst,...
Contributors
