Best ideas for 2026, and the barbell approach to investing

Asia has quietly outperformed the US but investors are still asking a familiar question: where should money go next?

In this episode of WealthBT, host Genevieve Cua speaks with Hou Wey Fook, chief investment officer at DBS, about the investment themes he believes will shape portfolios in the year ahead. 

The conversation tackles a persistent issue Hou sees across client portfolios: too much cash. With many investors sitting on roughly 30 per cent in cash amid geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility, the real risk may not be market swings, but the slow erosion of purchasing power as inflation quietly eats away at idle savings.

Why listen

• The five investment themes shaping 2026 Answering what forms the backbone of Hou’s outlook for the year.

• Why cash may be the biggest hidden risk A serious look at how inflation steadily erodes purchasing power.

• Gold’s scarcity advantage Why the precious metal continues to find structural support.

• Why Asia could outperform Even modest capital flows out of US equities could have an outsized impact on Asian markets.

• The barbell strategy explained A portfolio split between high-growth assets and stable income generators aims to balance opportunity and resilience.

Cua presses Hou to explain how the barbell approach works in practice. For investors navigating an uncertain year, this discussion offers a framework designed to capture upside while keeping portfolios anchored through volatility. Listen now.

WealthBT is a podcast of BT Correspondents. Look out for the next episode featuring correspondent Derryn Wong, and if you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to reach out to us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.

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Written and hosted by: Genevieve Cua (gen@sph.com.sg)

With Hou Wey Fook, chief investment officer, DBS

SEE ALSO

Is US exceptionalism truly dead?

Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: Genevieve Cua, Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh

A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media

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