Important Notes:
17 April 2026
Paul Kalogirou, Head of Client Portfolio Management, Asia & Global Multi-Asset Solutions
Luke Browne, Global Head of Multi-Asset Solutions, Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of Multi-Asset Solutions, Asia


Global markets turned to a risk‑off mode in March 2026 as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East eclipsed earlier optimism about growth and policy support. Equity and fixed-income markets declined as energy price shocks and uncertainty weighed on investor confidence. However, the diversified portfolio construction and income‑generation focus supported the Manulife Global Fund – Global Multi‑Asset Diversified Income Fund (“GMADI” or “the Fund”) in delivering relatively resilient performance (‑4%)1.
1 Manulife Investment Management, as of 31 March 2026. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
Asset allocation views on SpaceX IPO, Reopening of Strait of Hormuz, and the BOJ rate hike
The Multi Asset Solutions Team (MAST) provides asset allocation views on three recent developments that could influence markets in different ways: the SpaceX Initial Public Offerings (IPO), the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) rate hike. In our view, these events create mixed signals across growth, inflation and liquidity. Overall, the backdrop still appears uneven, and this may support a measured and selective approach to asset allocation rather than a broad increase in risk.
China Fixed Income: From deflation to reflation: what comes next?
Not another bubble: How semiconductors are powering a real future
Semiconductors sit behind almost every modern experience – from smartphones and cars to cloud computing and today’s AI tools – yet they remain largely invisible to most people. They are more than chips only, and the demand is being supported by several long-term forces. We believe that today’s semiconductor excitement is not a repeat of the dot-com bubble, as investment is tied to real infrastructure and revenue-generating services. And the opportunity is broader than a handful of headline AI names.
Asset allocation views on SpaceX IPO, Reopening of Strait of Hormuz, and the BOJ rate hike
The Multi Asset Solutions Team (MAST) provides asset allocation views on three recent developments that could influence markets in different ways: the SpaceX Initial Public Offerings (IPO), the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) rate hike. In our view, these events create mixed signals across growth, inflation and liquidity. Overall, the backdrop still appears uneven, and this may support a measured and selective approach to asset allocation rather than a broad increase in risk.
China Fixed Income: From deflation to reflation: what comes next?
Not another bubble: How semiconductors are powering a real future
Semiconductors sit behind almost every modern experience – from smartphones and cars to cloud computing and today’s AI tools – yet they remain largely invisible to most people. They are more than chips only, and the demand is being supported by several long-term forces. We believe that today’s semiconductor excitement is not a repeat of the dot-com bubble, as investment is tied to real infrastructure and revenue-generating services. And the opportunity is broader than a handful of headline AI names.