In this interview, Manpreet Gill, Chief Investment Officer, Africa, Middle East, and Europe, Standard Chartered Bank, speaks on global market outlook for 2026, with a particular reference to Nigeria’s investment outlook for the year.
By Yinka Kolawole 
How would you summarise global market performance recently, and what are the key themes shaping your outlook for 2026?
Overall, portfolio performance has been strong over the past year, and we are quite satisfied with outcomes so far. Looking ahead to 2026, our outlook is anchored around three major global themes.
First is equities. We believe equities can continue to rise, and we use the word “inflate” deliberately. There is an ongoing debate about whether markets, particularly US technology, are in bubble territory. However, strong earnings growth has helped justify current valuations. That said, we do not want portfolios overly concentrated in a single theme like tech or AI. As a result, we have raised our allocation to Asian
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