Key investment themes for 2019

Experts say a global recession is unlikely, and volatility could offer opportunities for investors

Korea Exchange staff at a closing event of the 2018 stock market in Seoul on Dec 28. The end of 2018 saw global markets roiled by volatility, caused by rising interest rates and US-China trade tensions, among other things.
Korea Exchange staff at a closing event of the 2018 stock market in Seoul on Dec 28. The end of 2018 saw global markets roiled by volatility, caused by rising interest rates and US-China trade tensions, among other things. PHOTO: REUTERS
An assembly line at a Ford Motor Company complex in Michigan. The probability of a US recession over the next 12 months is 30 per cent, say some analysts. Others note that the US economy accelerated last year, boosted by robust consumption and a pick
An assembly line at a Ford Motor Company complex in Michigan. The probability of a US recession over the next 12 months is 30 per cent, say some analysts. Others note that the US economy accelerated last year, boosted by robust consumption and a pick-up in business investment on the back of late-2017 tax cuts. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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The new year is only a few days old but the jitters and volatility that marked the end of 2018 have already reared their ugly heads, signalling that investors will need to stay sharp over these 12 months.

The key concerns have a familiar ring as well - trade tensions between the United States and China, political risks across a range of countries and rising interest rates.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on January 06, 2019, with the headline Key investment themes for 2019. Subscribe