Investing

Around one-third of asset managers active in Europe expect a comeback for European equities in 2026. They consider stocks from the region to be inexpensive and expect the planned large-scale European government investments in areas such as defense and infrastructure to act as a catalyst.

Volatile prices make the coffee market an attractive arena for trading. However, downside risks currently dominate, experts warn.

Amid rising volatility, questions surrounding US interest rates, and uncertainty about the technology sector, Natixis Wealth Management is focusing on diversification in 2026, both geographically and across sectors.

Are bonds issued by well-known champion companies as safe as government debt? More and more investors seem to think so, judging by the small yield differentials between, for example, Microsoft and US government paper or between AXA and French government bonds.

Stay away next year from “long” government bonds and from corporate bonds, both high yield and investment grade. Profligate governments and poor risk-return profiles will spoil the mood in those markets.

As the world of private banking expands to the next generation of clients, non-traditional sectors are rising while the need for a personal touch remains the same, says 27-year-old Charles Desnos at Quintet Private Bank.

India is drawing fresh interest from global investors as domestic demand, rapid digitalization and a deepening capital market give it resilience few major economies can match. Emerging market specialists say these qualities are becoming increasingly relevant for diversified portfolios.

A majority of large asset managers are most optimistic about equities for 2026, particularly those from emerging markets. US equities remain a strategic cornerstone, while Europe and Japan play a smaller but growing role in geographic diversification.

Bankhaus Metzler is preparing for another year of strong performance in German equities. The nearly 20 percent rise in the DAX this year will likely not be matched in 2026, said equity strategist Uwe Hohmann, but an increase of 10 percent is within reach.

Many fund houses mark Liberation Day—the day president Trump announced sharply higher US trade tariffs—as the standout moment of 2025, according to the Investment Officer Outlook Survey 2026. But what surprised asset managers even more was how quickly markets carried on in the months that followed, as if nothing had happened.