The third quarter of 2026 was shaped by a mix of challenges and resilience. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pushed oil and gas prices higher, adding to inflation pressures and prompting many central banks to raise interest rates. Despite this backdrop, economic growth remained stronger than expected, particularly in the US, while company earnings generally continued to improve. Investors remained enthusiastic about artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies, helping global equities end the quarter up by 1.6%. Commodities performed strongly, while bond markets struggled as rising inflation expectations and higher interest rates pushed yields upwards.
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