News & Views

February 2026 saw global markets advance steadily, supported by easing inflation trends and a broadly unchanged monetary policy backdrop across major economies. Central banks in the UK, US, and Eurozone opted to hold interest rates, reflecting a cautious but stabilising environment. Beneath this surface stability, however, performance diverged sharply across regions and sectors, with commodity-linked and technology-driven markets leading gains while others lagged.

Markets ended the year on a steady footing as central banks cautiously shifted toward supporting growth amid easing inflation. The UK and US delivered further rate cuts, while the ECB held policy steady as eurozone inflation aligned with target. Market performance was mixed, with strength in banking, fintech and Asian technology offset by weakness in parts of emerging markets. Multi-asset portfolios benefited from diversification, helping to cushion volatility and position in