Feature

MSCI has recently increased the Chinese A-share market's inclusion factor from 5% to 20%.

Equity markets had a tough time in 2018. Value stocks were particularly hard hit and the style saw one of the longest periods of underperformance relative to growth in recent years.

Since the downturn at the close of 2018, US equities have rebounded with smaller caps up over 16% and outpacing the returns of large caps.

The growth of BBB credit since the Global Financial Crisis has received a lot of attention.

At the start of 2019 there were three main reasons to be bearish.

The most significant consideration for all investors in the US is the actions of its Federal Reserve.

When it comes to finding growth in the UK, we are positive on the pharmaceuticals sector.

The Japanese stockmarket offers opportunities for investing in growth companies that are benefiting from structural changes in business or consumption patterns, or from demographic patterns such as the ageing, declining population.

UK equities had a positive start to 2019. While this can be partly viewed as a rebound after 2018's difficult final quarter, what is likely to have been most significant is an extraordinary U-turn by the US Federal Reserve.

After a torrid Q4 amid a global sell-off, we see plenty of reasons for sustained optimism for the rest of 2019.