Forget free money: 2026’s inflation-fighting playbook

After a chaotic but surprisingly rewarding 2025, many retail investors are heading into 2026 with a familiar question: is it still enough to sit in “safe” cash and broad indices, or is that quietly falling behind inflation? Cash yields are drifting lower, inflation is still sticky, and the era of effortless gains looks increasingly like a post-pandemic one-off, not a permanent new world.

In this episode of Money Hacks by The Business Times, host Howie Lim speaks to Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo, Hugh Chung, chief investment officer at Endowus, and Jeremy Hall, head of international for Brookfield Oaktree Wealth Solutions, about what will really drive returns in 2026. From equity markets that still look like the best long-term inflation hedge, to the boom in private markets and the growing risks of AI-heavy indices, the trio map out what needs to change in the typical portfolio and what does not.

Why listen

• Cash is no longer king: Chanana explains why falling cash yields and “higher for longer” neutral rates mean parking large sums in money market funds will not cut it against inflation in 2026.

• Equities vs the AI bubble fears: Chung breaks down why global stocks remain a solid inflation fighter, how AI concentration risk has crept into broad indices, and which sectors like healthcare and biotech could balance out tech volatility.

• Private markets without the sales pitch: Hall and Chung lay out what private assets can realistically do for income and diversification and where investors need to be brutally honest about liquidity, fees and concentration risk.

• From passive to genuinely active: The guests argue that with more macro noise and more crowded trades, 2026 is a year where sector tilts, global diversification and human advice matter more than blind faith in robo tools.

If you want your 2026 portfolio to beat inflation rather than just look busy, this episode offers a clear, practical reality check on cash, equities and alternatives. To find out how to give your lazy money a smarter job next year, listen now.

Money Hacks is the flagship personal finance podcast from The Business Times hosted by Howie Lim. Catch past episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at bt.sg/podcasts. Feedback or ideas? Email btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.

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Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)

With Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist, Saxo; Hugh Chung, chief investment officer, Endowus; and Jeremy Hall, head of international for Brookfield’s private wealth business, Brookfield Oaktree Wealth Solutions

Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh

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

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