Investing Insights

Stronger together: Why we blend fund managers

Behind every actively managed equity fund is a team making decisions about which companies deserve a place in your portfolio. This month, we explore why atomos combine several of these teams to invest in equities, bringing together different strengths and perspectives.

Struggling bonds, but stronger stocks: markets manage geopolitics and inflation fears in Q3

Renewed tensions in the Middle East and disruption to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz drove energy prices higher, fuelling concerns that rising inflation could lead to further interest rate hikes. Despite these challenges, strong corporate earnings helped global equities deliver modest growth, with the MSCI ACWI Index returning 1.6% over the three months to the end of September.

From cuts to hikes: interest rate expectations shift sharply

Investors began 2026 expecting interest rates to fall. By September, stronger-than-expected growth and persistent inflation had forced central banks to rethink the path ahead. Renewed expectations of rate hikes caused bond yields to rise sharply, which put pressure on bond prices (when yields rise the price of existing bonds fall) particularly in the US, where bond yields rose most noticeably.