28/01/2026
Recent performance and looking ahead in 2026
As most of you may know, we have been back in the office for a few weeks following a lovely three weeks spent visiting our eldest son Taylor in the UK. We experienced the historical wonders of Scotland, a tour of London (trying to keep up with Taylor and our younger son Morgan - pictured) and the stunning Paris, snow and all!
We wanted to take a moment to reflect on investment markets and set expectations as we move forward. The past two years have delivered exceptional investment returns, exceeding long-term averages across many asset classes. While this has been pleasing for our valued clients, it is important to acknowledge that periods of above-average performance are often followed by more moderate outcomes. Looking ahead over the next 12 months, we believe it is prudent to adopt a measured outlook. A number of factors are likely to create increased volatility and temper returns, including:
• Ongoing geopolitical uncertainty across multiple regions
• Equity markets that appear fully priced, particularly in certain sectors (tech)
• The continued risk of inflation remaining higher for longer, which may impact interest rates and corporate earnings
These conditions do not suggest markets are about to “fall off a cliff”, but they do reinforce the importance of maintaining realistic expectations, diversification, and a long-term focus. We continue to place our faith in the hands of the very skilled and specialist investment managers, as they have the ability to manage markets better than anyone, whilst we will be shying away from attempting to time markets or “stock pick” as that is a skill we do not possess.
As you would be aware, your portfolios are constructed with these cycles in mind — balancing growth opportunities with risk management under the specialist management of leading fund managers — and we will continue to actively monitor conditions and make adjustments where appropriate. If you have any questions about how this outlook relates to your personal holdings, or if your circumstances have changed, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Thank you for your continued trust and confidence in Crabtree Private Wealth, and we look forward to the year ahead.