09/08/2026
Why we chose more equities over bonds
Each September, we look back at our portfolio recommendations, review how they performed and begin preparing for the year ahead.
Going into this past year, we warned clients that bonds could face a difficult environment.
Inflation was proving “sticky,” central banks were expected to lower interest rates more slowly, and we anticipated oil moving from approximately $60 to $75 per barrel. When energy prices rise, inflation can remain elevated or move even higher, which can create challenges for bond performance.
That outlook influenced how we positioned portfolios.
A Moderate Conservative to Moderate risk profile can hold anywhere from 35% to 75% in equities. That is a significant range. Based on the conditions we expected, we chose to move toward the higher end of the permitted equity range rather than holding more in bonds.
The graphs show why that decision mattered:
→Bond portfolio returns were lower than the 3 year average of 4.61% down to approximately 1.65% over the past 365 days.
→A portfolio with 35% equities returned 7.37%.
→A portfolio with 75% equities returned 16.34%.
→Our recommended 75% equity option is shown by the purple line in the final graph.
This is the value of looking beyond a risk label. Two investors can both be considered “moderate,” yet their portfolios and their results, can look very different.
Working alongside IG Securities Investment Portfolio Analysts, we used economic data and forecasts to search globally for investments suited to the conditions we expected.
Now we’re looking ahead to 2027, and our next portfolio recommendations are ready to discuss.
Is your portfolio positioned for what may come next?
Call 403-977-7636 to book a portfolio review.
Nathan Nunweiler, BBA Finance, CFP
Nunweiler Group Private Wealth Management