This virtual event is accredited for 1 hour 50 minutes of CISI endorsed structured CPD. To qualify, 75% viewing time is required.

he buzz around the “metaverse” has gone into overdrive as the technology that could make it a (virtual) reality draws closer and internet giants make big bets on its success. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? And does it ‘meta’ for investors?

The conflict in the Middle East is lasting longer than initially hoped. Our base case is for a messy resolution. Tensions are likely to persist for some time, with supply chains disrupted and energy carrying a geopolitical premium.

Our Capital Market Assumptions (CMAs) provide return, volatility and correlation forecasts for various asset classes, typically over a strategic ten-year investment horizon. They are calculated using a proprietary model which employs quantitative econometric analysis and incorporates a diverse range of inputs, including bottom-up and top-down insights from across our global investment platform. This provides a robust foundation for our strategic asset allocation processes, which play a key role in investment solution design and portfolio construction.

The most innovative stocks at the forefront of ESG investing have seen their share prices rise by up to 10 times over the last two years, prompting talk of an ESG bubble. Yet, a broader group of less well-owned ESG stocks trade at only a modest premium. Jamie Harvey, portfolio manager of the Fidelity Sustainable Global Equity Fund highlights the growing opportunities in these under-appreciated stocks that offer significantly higher quality and growth prospects.

While domestic consumption of sustainable products remains nascent, Victoria Mio, Director of Asian equities, discusses why China’s exporters are tapping into demand for ‘green’ goods from consumers and businesses around the world.

Gold has come back into focus as investors are questioning whether bonds can cushion equity drawdowns to the same degree as they have in the past. In this paper, we examine whether and how gold can contribute to portfolio resilience alongside traditional assets, and under what conditions that case strengthens or weakens.

The medium-term outlook for the current cycle remains healthy and supportive for equity markets. However, there are several near-term risks. Short-term growth momentum is slowing, key central banks are moving towards faster policy normalisation, and there is another wave of Covid-19 forming. 

A more uncertain and fragmented macro backdrop is changing the way investors think about resilience, diversification and market access., Here, our macro and ETF team examine the key forces shaping markets, including geoeconomic fragmentation, the impact of AI, widening return dispersion, and outline how investors can use ETFs selectively within asset allocations.

Risk assets have been supported during 2021 as five key tailwinds peaked, although Fidelity MoneyBuilder Income and Short Dated Corporate Bond portfolio managers Sajiv Vaid and Kris Atkinson believe each of these will trend down as we head into 2022. Against this backdrop, high-quality corporate bonds should offer an attractive prospect for investors looking for a combination of income and safety.

Against a backdrop of persistent geopolitical tensions, elevated energy prices and shifting market leadership, Asia continues to offer a rich opportunity set, supported by technology leadership, innovation and favourable demographic trends. Here, we highlight the value of a disciplined, fundamentally driven investment approach and explore where we are currently finding opportunities in the region.

Fidelity Asia Pacific Opportunities portfolio manager Anthony Srom explains why caution and selectivity will be key for 2022. He gives his investment outlook for the region and outlines the pockets of the market which he believes offer attractive upside potential for discerning stock pickers.

In the latest episode of The Investor’s Guide to Asia, fund manager Dale Nicholls shares opportunities that Fidelity analysts helped identify in robotics, China small caps, and rare earths, and how they translated into portfolios.

Sam Morse and Marcel Stötzel, portfolio managers of the Fidelity European Fund and Fidelity European Trust PLC, outline why they believe Europe could be at the forefront of the next decade of innovation, and why this creates significant opportunities for patient, long-term investors who are will willing to back European innovation and benefit from the leaders of the next decade.

Despite the conflict, there are reasons for investors to be constructive in the months ahead.

As media headlines focus on China’s evolving regulatory environment, we take a step back and focus on the opportunity set across the broader region. Our investment team debate the outlook and discuss the key factors shaping the economic and investment landscape across India and the ASEAN region.