Chief Investment Officer, Africa, Middle East & Europe, Standard Chartered, Manpreet Gill, in this conversion with Nume Ekeghe, discusses the biggest investment lessons for investors in the first half of 2026 and the global outlook for the second part of the year. Excerpts:
Looking back at the first half of 2026, what have been the biggest investment lessons for investors?
The first half of the year was a powerful reminder of why the core principles of investing matter. We often talk about diversification, resilience and staying invested during periods of volatility, and this year demonstrated exactly why those principles are so important. Despite heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and a sharp spike in oil prices, global equities recovered quickly and delivered strong returns, with both global and Asian equities gaining around 10 per cent during the first half. For investors, the biggest takeaway is that reacting emotionally to short-term market events rarely produces the best outcomes. Those who remained diversified and stayed invested were ultimately rewarded.
What are Standard Chartered’s key investment themes for the second half of 2026?
There are three key themes guiding our outlook. First, we continue to favour global equities because corporate earnings growth remains resilient, not just within the technology sector but across major global markets. While we may experience seasonal bouts of volatility during the latter part of the year, we see any market pullbacks as opportunities to add exposure rather than reasons to exit.
