“The clearer picture on tariffs should free up businesses to make capital decisions, like investing in reshoring supply chains.”
- Jared Franz, Economist
17 December 2025
Capital Group's 2026 Outlook report delves into many market-driving issues, including tariff uncertainty, the challenge of high valuations, corporate earnings expectations, and how sticky inflation and weakening labour markets are influencing the path of interest rates. It also identifies key investment themes and how they're affecting various asset classes. Here we offer an overview of the opportunities as we see them. Be sure to download the full report for a deeper dive.
In our view, investors should expect improved economic stability in the year ahead, with the potential for reacceleration in the second half, as the path of global trade comes into clearer focus. The US has negotiated trade deals with many countries, and tariffs generally have settled at much lower rates than initially feared.
“The clearer picture on tariffs should free up businesses to make capital decisions, like investing in reshoring supply chains.”
- Jared Franz, Economist
With hundreds of billions of dollars invested in just the past few years, the AI build-out continues at a staggering pace. The kind of dynamic growth exemplified by AI is one of three broad equity market themes outlined in our Outlook 2026, alongside the importance of dividends and opportunities in markets outside the US.
"Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and others have the incentive and resources to continue investing aggressively, generating greater demand for advanced semiconductors and infrastructure."
Mark Casey, Equity portfolio manager
Sources: Capital Group, Bloomberg. Return and yield figures are for the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Index. “Current” value is based on latest starting yield to worst (the lowest yield an investor can earn if the bond is redeemed or called before its maturity date), using the historical linear trend line to approximate implied forward five-year return as of November 30, 2025. Past results are not a guarantee of future results.
In the US, economic growth prospects are up, just as job growth is weakening. For investors, this unusual backdrop underscores the potential for bonds to offer steady income and a measure of downside protection. Starting yields have historically been a strong indicator of long-term return potential. At today’s valuations, high-quality bonds can play the dual role of generating income and acting as a buffer.
“The biggest question facing investors is whether the labour market weakness will weigh on consumption. That would increase the risk of a sharper downturn in growth.”
- Chitrang Purani, Fixed income portfolio manager
Annualised five-year total return (%) of Bloomberg US Aggregate Index
Long-term perspective on markets and economies