Asset Allocator

Julius Baer has moved from underweight to neutral on UK equities , but does that mean the investment case for Britain is improving? In this episode of the Asset Allocator podcast, Thomas Watts, MPS portfolio manager at Julius Baer , joins Aamina Zafar and David Thorpe to discuss the firm's latest asset allocation decisions and the opportunities and risks facing global investors. Watts explains...

Are you more exposed to AI stocks than you realise? As the AI trade comes under pressure and bond markets experience renewed volatility, investors could be taking on risks they never intended. Eleanor Ingilby, head of high net worth and senior portfolio manager at Atomos, joins Asset Allocator to explain why global ETFs can leave investors heavily exposed to artificial intelligence and the Magnifi...

With bond yields rising, inflation remaining stubborn and US stock markets increasingly dominated by a handful of technology giants, are investors rethinking how they build portfolios? Eric Louw, senior investment manager at Aberdeen, joins Asset Allocator to explain why the firm has been reducing exposure to riskier assets, increasing allocations to government and investment-grade corporate bonds...

Commodities should serve as a reliable safe haven in the event of an equity downturn next year according to Trevor Greetham, head of multi-asset at Royal London Asset Management , who shared his prediction when he joined this week’s Asset Allocator podcast . Joining Aamina Zafar and David Thorpe, Greetham draws parallels between today's economic environment and the stagflation of the 1970s, ex...

Government bond yields are approaching five per cent, raising a crucial question for investors: could higher interest rates threaten global stock markets, or are bonds becoming a more attractive investment than equities? In this episode of the Asset Allocator podcast, Simoney Kyriakou is joined by Joe Little, global chief strategist at HSBC Asset Management , to discuss the outlook for bond market...

How should investors build a diversified portfolio when bond yields are rising, inflation remains a risk and the AI boom is reshaping global equity markets? In this episode of the Asset Allocator podcast, Aamina Zafar and David Thorpe are joined by Darius McDermott, managing director of Chelsea Financial Services, to discuss how investors can position portfolios for today's market environment....

Forecasting macro factors are much more difficult than they were in the past. That’s the view of Jordan Sriharan who joined this week’s Asset Allocator podcast this week. The senior fund manager for multi asset at Keyridge Asset Management warned that predicting the macro environment has become significantly more difficult due to shifting government policies and increased volatility compared to th...

Higher bond yields are transforming the investment case for fixed income . But with inflation remaining elevated, interest-rate expectations shifting and markets volatile, where are the best opportunities for investors? In this episode of the Asset Allocator podcast , Amina Zafar and David Thorpe are joined by Fahad Hassan, chief investment officer at Albemarle Street Partners, to discuss how inve...

Fears over a lack of de-escalation in Iran and reservations about whether AI companies can continue their trajectory have led to bond market volatility and worryingly persistent inflation.  But amid the tumult, stocks and emerging markets have remained surprisingly resilient.  Joe Little, chief strategist for HSBC Asset Management, sits down with FT Adviser's Simoney Kyriakou to discuss...

Are bonds becoming attractive again? Can the AI trade continue to drive equity markets ? And with concerns over government debt , inflation and geopolitical risk mounting, where can investors still find a safe haven? Janet Mui, head of market analysis at RBC Brewin Dolphin, joins the Asset Allocator podcast to discuss the outlook for government bonds, equities, artificial intelligence and gold. Mu...

UK equities may look cheap, but are they cheap for a reason? Paul O’Neill, chief investment officer at Bentley Reid , joins the Asset Allocator podcast to explain why global investors should “stay away” from the UK market for now – despite seeing genuine valuation opportunities for individual investors and fund managers . With investment flows remaining negative, the UK market shrinking and small...

In this episode of Asset Allocator , Patrick O'Donnell, chief investment strategist at Omnis, explains why the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could have long-lasting consequences for global markets , inflation and economic growth. He discusses the knock-on effects across commodities and supply chains, from energy markets to materials critical for semiconductor production, and explains why ris...

Gold is falling when investors expect it to rise. AI stocks are wobbling. So where should investors look next? FT Adviser Editor-in-Chief Simoney Kyriakou is joined by Joe Little, Chief Strategist at HSBC Asset Management, to unpack the biggest investment questions facing markets. Watch or listen to previous episodes of Asset Allocator here . They discuss why gold has become more volatile, whether...

Recent activity suggests markets are reconsidering their approach to AI-themed companies , but what's going on exactly? To answer, David Combs, head of multi-asset at Rathbones Asset Management joins Aamina Zafar and David Thorpe on Asset Allocator . David gives his opinions on the best ways for investors to access the AI revolution right now, as well as looking at how to navigate the increasingly...

With fresh opportunities emerging across equities, fixed income, and alternative assets, where should investors be focusing? That's the question Asset Allocator's Aamina Zafar and David Thorpe put to Ed Cole, equity strategist at Man Group. Ed discusses diversification and how inflation may hit portfolios this year, with the things that asset managers need to be aware of when building their portfo...

Why do professional investors increasingly avoid the phrase " passive investing "? Dan Caps, portfolio manager at Evelyn Partners, argues that modern index investing is anything but passive. From factor exposures and asset allocation to tactical implementation and disciplined rebalancing , today's portfolios are far more nuanced than many investors realise. In this episode of Asset Allocator , we...

AI boom or bubble? Emerging markets comeback? And what do geopolitical shocks mean for investors in 2026? In this episode of the Asset Allocator podcast, FT Adviser editor Simoney Kyriakou sits down with Joe Little, Chief Strategist at HSBC Asset Management, to unpack the forces reshaping global markets. From geopolitical tensions and commodity volatility to China's manufacturing resurgence and th...

Is passive investing making markets more concentrated? Will today's AI winners still exist in a decade? And why might cash be one of the most misunderstood assets in investing? In this episode of Asset Allocator , Nathan Sweeney, chief investment officer for multi-asset at Marlborough, joins Amina Zafar and David Thorpe to discuss how investing is changing in an era of artificial intelligence, soc...

Financial advisers must hedge against currency risk if they want to truly protect their client’s income, explains Jason Da Silva, the director of global investment strategy at Arbuthnot Latham . Discussing the relevance of the dollar’s weakness for UK advisers and their clients, Da Silva highlighted the importance of currency management in both equity and fixed income portfolios. Also on this epis...

Bond and equity markets are sending very different signals . While stocks continue to rally on optimism around earnings and AI-driven growth , bond investors are grappling with inflation risks, geopolitical tensions and mounting government debt. In this episode of the Asset Allocator Podcast , Aamina Zafar and David Thorpe are joined by Henry Cobbe, head of research at Elston Consulting, to discus...

On this week's Asset Allocator, Simoney Kyriakou is joined by Joe Little, chief strategist at HSBC Asset Management , to discuss the diverging opinion between economists and investors over the repercussions of the Iran conflict and what the closure and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz means for the global economy. Are investors simply ignoring the mood music? Alongside the Middle East conflict, Li...

There is still a free lunch in diversification, but investors just need to look a bit harder for it and reframe what that means, says David Aujila, multi-asset fund manager at Invesco. Aujla discusses what true diversification looks like with funds reporter Aamina Zafar and contributing editor David Thorpe. The Asset Allocator Podcast discusses the big issues in UK fund selection and how weal...

James Mee, co‑head of multi‑asset and director at W1M, joins funds reporter Aamina Zafar and contributing editor David Thorpe to discuss the latest developments in markets, and why income portfolios remain key to his firm's offering. The Asset Allocator Podcast discusses the big issues in UK fund selection and how wealth managers are positioning their portfolios. Sign up to the newsletter . Hosted...

Cranley Macfarlane, head of bespoke private clients and deputy chief investment officer at Church House Investment Management, discusses how client needs are shifting, the use of in-house funds, and whether active management still has a meaningful role to play as passive investing continues to gain momentum, with funds correspondent Aamina Zafar and contributing editor David Thorpe. The Asset Allo...

Industry veteran Dan Kemp, founder of Portfolio Thinking, discusses the challenges of diversification on the latest edition of the Asset Allocator podcast. The Asset Allocator Podcast discusses the big issues in UK fund selection and how wealth managers are positioning their portfolios. Sign up to the newsletter . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.