Market Update - March 2026
While the previous 12 months delivered generally strong investment returns, the first quarter of 2026 started off on a weaker note, with many share markets finishing the quarter in negative territory. One of the key issues during the quarter was the new conflict in Iran which began on 28 February with coordinated airstrikes by both US and Israeli forces. These attacks resulted in sharply higher geopolitical uncertainty and an unwelcome increase in the global price of oil. These events are drastically reshaping economic activity around the world, but our team are constantly monitoring the impacts and adjusting portfolio holdings in line with our long-term investment objectives. Given the level of uncertainty and disruption, the impact on portfolios has been pleasingly small in comparison to other crisis and conflicts.
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A look back at when the world feared the worst
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