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20 March 2026
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For investors seeking a combination of future earnings potential and favorable valuations, the Franklin Templeton Institute suggests looking toward emerging markets. While US stocks have historically dominated in performance and earnings growth, the landscape could be shifting.
For investors, demographics are a driver of country risk, and they can impact productivity, economic growth, sovereign financials and debt ratings. Demographics are not destiny, but they do set parameters.
The US economy shows strength, with a tight job market and solid wage growth, while the European economy remains stagnant, and both central banks are looking for continued evidence of lower inflation before starting their easing cycle.
Reflections from Franklin Templeton’s latest Industry Advisory Services Annual Survey, which aims to help investors understand how the wealth and investment management industry is changing and better prepare them for the future.
Trees are an appropriate metaphor for investing. When nurtured, they grow gradually but inexorably. Upon maturity they yield their bounty—shade, nuts and sweet fruit. Yet some trees withstand adversity better than others.
Arguably, humanity’s greatest current challenge is the need to shift to low and net-zero carbon in a little less than 30 years. These challenges create investment opportunities as investors have a critical role given the capital required to fund this transition.
With the upcoming budget increasingly likely to include bold proposals to alter the tax code I’ve outlined three incremental steps with fewer unintended consequences.
The impact of the Iran War is far more than expensive petrol. Higher oil prices have secondary inflationary impacts that reverberate throughout the economy which could be bad news for Australians with mortgages.
Global Listed Infrastructure dividends are forecast to grow 5-6% p.a over the next two years. After a hiatus, share buybacks are back on the agenda and will play an integral role in shareholder returns.
Past oil shocks offer lessons for investors dealing with the fallout from the Iran War and the ongoing impact on inflation.
Former Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, once said "When you change the government, you change the country." We're about to see whether that holds true in Japan.
Central banks now hold more gold reserves than US Treasuries, signalling a shift in safe-haven asset strategy and portfolio diversification as geopolitical risks increase.
Historically economic progress is measured by GDP growth but there is an increasing body of work that explores quantitative measures of wellbeing.