CIO Corner

CIO CORNER

Compute vs concrete: For investors, not a binary choice

There will be winners on both sides, as software capability leans more heavily on physical assets

Energy, materials and industrial stocks outperformed the S&P 500 in four of the five energy shocks by an average of 16%.
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What history tells us about what it takes to reap positive market returns amid an oil shock

Negative real interest rates will help investors to repeat the 1973, 1990 and 2003 energy investment booms

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has tightened the noose around global oil supplies and trade routes.
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War and peace: portfolio ramifications

Investors should retain core investment exposures, complemented by hedges to reduce portfolio volatility

Brent crude futures prices are averaging north of US$100 per barrel since the escalation, versus a five-year average of US$81 per barrel.
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Why it is commodities’ turn to shine

The asset class has risen 17% year to date

Rather than attempting to predict every geopolitical development, investors should build diversified portfolios designed to withstand periods of uncertainty.
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Staying invested through volatility

Studies on geopolitical shocks indicate that equity market drawdowns linked to such events are usually brief

Greenback under pressure as gold rides tailwinds
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Greenback under pressure as gold rides tailwinds

The metal’s surge is a barometer of confidence in the global system

Higher oil and gas prices act as a hidden tax on consumers and businesses, thereby slowing overall economic activity and fuelling inflation.
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Are investors complacent or savvy in looking past the noise?

Focusing on the enduring fundamentals will drive long-term portfolio success

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off. SpaceX's valuation has soared from about US$200 billion in 2024 to today’s IPO estimate of around US$1.75 trillion.
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Investing in the future: AI, nuclear energy and space

Invest in what you know, but it doesn’t mean you should avoid new areas. Understand them and go where the fundamentals are sound

The playbook for the first half of 2026 is straightforward: rebalance rather than de-risk, emphasise platform quality and insure the tail risks.
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How to stay invested – with safety gear

In markets, policy, positioning and earnings enable participation while buffering against shocks

Geo-economic shifts, the emergence of game-changing technology and demographic shifts are clouding visibility over the next half-decade.
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Supertrends to boost portfolios over the next five years

These structural shifts are already rapidly unfolding and will continue to play out