A volatile geopolitical environment and valuation risks pose a challenge to equity market investors today. Against an uncertain backdrop, global equity income portfolio manager Tristan Purcell highlights the benefits of anchoring on sustainable dividends, resilient earnings and valuation discipline to navigate what comes next.

While the UK macro picture remains challenging, portfolio manager Alex Wright believes investment opportunities are still available for those who know where to look. He reviews recent market movements and highlights how Fidelity Special Situations & Special Values PLC are positioned to capitalise on unloved areas with overlooked potential.

Global CIO Andrew McCaffery and senior members of our team review current market dynamics and provide an insight into the implications of recent macro and policy developments. They outline how this evolving backdrop is informing our views across asset classes as we head into the final quarter of 2023.

Amid increased uncertainty over the future path of policy rates, including renewed inflation risks linked to higher energy prices and geopolitical tensions, the role of money market funds has come back into focus. In this environment, our investment team highlight why money market funds offer a disciplined framework for navigating a higher-rate world.

With US labour markets still strong, the Federal Reserve is sticking to its “higher for longer” messaging. Global Head of Macro & Strategic Asset Allocation Salman Ahmed analyses the future direction for inflation and growth and believes the US economy could be in for a shock next year when the impact of higher rates finally start to bite.

Rate path clouded by evolving Middle East conflict

In a more volatile, multipolar world, should investors be reconsidering portfolio allocations and revisiting the opportunities on offer across Asia? Investment Directors Catherine Yeung and Vanessa Chan outline the attractive growth potential and diversification characteristics of Asia’s financial markets in the wake of recent macro and geopolitical shifts.

While lower for longer was the mantra of the last decade, there is a new catchphrase in town - higher for longer. As income-seeking investors adjust to this new environment, our fixed income investment team outline why the high-quality class looks well placed to command increased allocations and deliver relatively attractive risk-adjusted returns.

Energy disruption has moved from tail risk to a central market driver. With commodities providing the most reliable hedge and broader fundamentals still supportive, the focus is on staying flexible - ready to add risk if tensions ease while managing downside if energy shocks persist.

After years of political turbulence which have caused innumerable headaches for UK equity investors, the UK now seems to be in the early stages of a calmer period, which could see it regaining some of its past reputation as a well-run advanced economy. Against this backdrop, Fidelity UK Select Fund portfolio manager Aruna Karunathilake reviews the market environment and outlines why he is feeling increasingly optimistic on the outlook for UK equities.

US-Iran tensions have triggered a sharp spike in oil prices, raising fresh questions about inflation, growth and the outlook for global bond markets. Mike Riddell, Portfolio Manager of the Fidelity Strategic Bond Fund, explains why markets view the disruption as a near-term shock, how geopolitics is reshaping the macro backdrop, and where he is currently positioning the portfolio to capture alpha while managing downside risks.

Fidelity Global Head of Stewardship and Sustainable Investing Jenn-Hui Tan sat down with some of our investment colleagues based in Hong Kong, to discuss the state of play when it comes to ESG investing in Asia. They examine how the region is getting to grips with ESG, including adoption and regulation and share how Fidelity is using research and engagement to effect companies.

Global markets are adjusting to disruption at key trade choke points as volatility remains elevated. With risks skewed to further escalation, senior members of our investment team assess the implications for growth and inflation and highlight the benefits of diversification, selectivity and flexibility in an uncertain environment.

Generative artificial intelligence is the hot technology of the moment. It has the potential to be transformative, but as with other recent technologies - electric vehicles, renewable energy, blockchain - valuations can become detached from fundamentals. Equity research analyst Jonathan Tseng provides an overview of the technology, its risks and where we see investment potential.

In the latest episode of The Investor’s Guide to Asia, portfolio managers Nick Price and Cynthia Chen discuss why Chinese stocks remain central to portfolios in an increasingly multipolar world.

As large developed markets wrestle with recession concerns, many emerging market countries find themselves relatively well positioned with healthier finances and proactive central banks. Portfolio manager Amit Goel discusses some of the key areas of opportunity across this diverse universe and highlights how this is shaping positioning of the Fidelity Sustainable Emerging Markets Equity Fund.

Geopolitical tensions centred on Iran are adding to market volatility. In this environment, we believe investors may better navigate the uncertainty by combining diversified core exposures with differentiated return streams and active asset allocation.

Inflationary pressures look to be showing signs of finally easing, but history shows that it can be a very challenging beast to tame. With the risk of us entering a period of sustained high inflation still real, Multi Asset portfolio manager Ian Samson outlines six ways investors can position for a higher for longer inflation environment.