Personal Banking Premier Business Wealth Management Corporate Log In Search Menu Learning to coexist with the pandemic Can we afford to be optimistic for 2021? 14 September 2021 Our Chief Investment Officer talks about recent market performance and what to expect from the last quarter of the year. The current landscape Global markets have been quite focused on the Delta variant recently which has led to some worrying data points. Meanwhile, the regulatory crackdown in China, which is part of a drive to even up the distribution of wealth and opportunity in the country, has made it quite a tough year for emerging markets equities so far. While domestic news is always interesting, it’s important to remember that the UK economy and its political situation is not that important for a globally diversified investor. In Germany, polling suggests a highly fluid electoral situation. Nonetheless, looking at the currently viable coalition options, a high degree of policy continuity is still likely for the most part. Looking ahead, our view continues to be obscured by the fact that we're still right in the middle of this pandemic. In the near term, we'll be looking at what back to school means in terms of transmission rates and the approach of the traditional flu season when medical facilities become a bit more congested. We hope for a much less complicated winter than last time but this pandemic is far from over and we should still worry about the sting of variants in the pandemic's tail. However, there is some cause for optimism as certain aspects of the economy seem to be learning how to coexist with the pandemic. Remember, however, that there's a way to go and some caution is necessary. As ever, we recommend investors get invested, stay invested and stay diversified. Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video tag. Video Transcript Learning to coexist with the pandemic As part of our aim to keep clients informed of our current investment views and how these themes are impacting your discretionary portfolios, Phil Attreed, Head of Investment Consulting, talks to Will Hobbs, Chief Investment Officer, about recent market performance and what to expect from the last quarter of the year. Things to consider The value of investments can fall as well as rise. You may get back less than what you originally invested. What would you like to do next? Get in touch Speak to your Wealth Manager or contact us. Not yet a client? Find out how we can help you. Read more articles Learn more about the latest economic issues, gain market insights and discover some of the trends shaping the world today. More articles Explore investments A diverse range of investment solutions – there to help you preserve and grow your wealth. Investment solutions Important Information Terms and conditions Banking terms Rates and fees What is Market abuse? Responsible investing Citizenship Accessibility Cookie policy Privacy notice Control your data Fraud and protection Contact us Find an office Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Cookies We would like to collect data from your device while you use this website. We do this using cookies. You can find out more in our cookie policy. Collecting this data helps us provide the best experience for you, keeps your account secure, helps us provide social media features and allows us to personalise advert and service message content. Please select 'Accept all' to consent to us collecting your data in this way. To see other data collection options, select 'Preferences'. Preferences Accept All