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Despite the escalating geopolitical tensions between Israel, Iran and the US, equity and bond markets are – for now – not pricing in a worst-case scenario. In this context, a diversified allocation is warranted to contain tail risks and mitigate mounting volatility. Gold continues to serve as a hedge against extreme shocks.

Markets rallied on US–China trade deal progress and soft US inflation data, boosting risk assets and expectations of a Fed rate cut. Yields fell while credit spreads tightened. However, at the end of the week gains faded as Israel–Iran tensions flared up, but this lifted defence stocks. The US dollar weakened, while gold and oil rose on geopolitical tensions.

As we enter the second half of the year, the fading trade war rhetoric is paving the way for a renewed focus on diversified asset allocations.

Equity markets welcomed Trump’s 90-day tariff truce by rebounding swiftly. However, we are maintaining a wait-and-see stance during this pause, while hedging against potential US dollar weakness by increasing our exposure to gold.

Tactical risk management helped us ride out one of the sharpest market dips since 2020. Gold and cash remain reliable safe havens.

Trump’s activism on the US economy is creating fears of recession. To navigate short-term turbulence, we have tactically scaled back our exposure to macro-sensitive assets, such as US equities, including US midcaps, along with high-yield and emerging-market debt, while increasing our allocation to gold.

On his return to the Oval Office, Donald Trump swiftly sparked uncertainty with a trade offensive against Mexico, Canada and China. We expect the return of protectionist policies to fuel market volatility in the months ahead. In this environment, hedge funds and precious metals stand out as resilient investment choices.

Trump's agenda of higher tariffs, tax cuts, and stricter immigration measures could, if actually implemented, spur inflationary pressures, thus curbing the momentum for interest rate cuts. This ‘higher-for-longer’ interest rate environment favours hedge funds over fixed income investments – an asset class we have downgraded from 3/5 to 2/5.

After a strong performance in November driven by the re-election of Donald Trump, US equities remain one of our key convictions.

Trump's return to the White House marks the start of a new era that is set to boost US-based companies while the wider global investment landscape continues to contract. 

The global economy is becoming more fragmented, creating a complex landscape for investors and policymakers. Geopolitical events, such as the US elections, the Ukraine-Russia war, and heightened tensions in the Middle East, are amplifying market uncertainties. In response, we have raised our conviction on gold from 3/5 to 4/5.

Over the past 15 months, most asset classes have put in positive performances. However, we’ve entered a transitional phase marked by rising volatility, political risks, and market dissonance. To navigate this shifting landscape, we have reduced our global equity exposure and increased our conviction on hedge funds, as alternative investments are well-positioned to capitalise on current market uncertainties.