2026 investment outlook
Our experts analyse the major talking points for investors and share their investment ideas for the future.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. If in doubt, please seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
The year ahead: bubbles, politics and economics
After three years of significant gains, the big question is whether major global stock markets can make it four in a row. Among the talking points will be the AI bubble and its possible consequences. Elevated valuations, especially among high-flying technology companies, have so far been justified by strong quarterly results.
Will that continue? Interest rates are expected to move lower through 2026, providing a boost to share prices, but any disruption to the downward trend will not be well received.
There’ll be a big focus on politics too. It’ll be all eyes on the US midterm elections in November when voters could trigger a shift in political control. We might also see an end to the war in Ukraine.
However, with tensions in Russia, China, the Middle East and elsewhere very much alive, gold could break more records in 2026.
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