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China’s fifteenth five-year plan (2026–2030), to be unveiled by the National People’s Congress in March, is expected to reshape how the People’s Bank of China manages the renminbi (RMB) exchange rate.

Despite geopolitical tensions, investors embraced equities, with broader sector participation signalling hopes that corporate earnings growth will stretch beyond technology this year. The US dollar continued to soften, though this week’s inflation data is unlikely to spark any sharp drops.

The capture of Nicolás Maduro in a US-led operation has seized global attention. Washington has signalled its intention to oversee a transitional phase towards a new governing framework, while hinting at potential involvement by US energy companies in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil infrastructure. Beyond the headlines, what could this mean for the energy, oil and other resources markets, Venezuela’s sovereign debt, and geopolitics more broadly? Our experts delve into the implications.

Despite geopolitical turbulence, equity markets closed 2025 with the third consecutive year of double-digit performances, while gold and fixed income also recorded solid annual returns. Looking ahead, the outlook for 2026 is broadly seen as constructive. However, recent short-term equity rotations reinforce the case for broadening exposures to structural growth themes. This week, investors will focus on US labour market data.

Nadège Lesueur-Pène, Head of Wealth Management Developing Markets & Europe at Union Bancaire Privée (UBP), explains what sets Swiss private banks – and UBP in particular – apart in an increasingly complex and competitive world.

As the year draws to a close, 2025 delivered robust return across all asset classes. We maintain our conviction in US equities and have upgraded emerging market debt from 3/5 to 4/5.