Against all odds? Investment markets punch out strong returns amid share market bounce

A study of the table, with its patchwork quilt of market results, quickly highlights how hard it is to divine patterns, let alone predict what might happen this year. Whether the firmest of contrarians, bursting with unfailing optimism, or more likely somewhere in between, there is bound to be something in the Periodic Table that makes you pause and reflect.

The table, which is produced each year, colour-codes 16 major asset classes and ranks how each performed, on an annual basis, over the past 10 years. The myriad returns generated by markets over time underscores the challenge of discerning patterns and forecasting what may eventuate in the periods ahead.

Some of the outcomes from last year and the decade as a whole:

·     2023 was the year of Global Equities. Whether on a currency hedged (+23%) or unhedged (+24%) basis, the sector surpassed nearly all expectations and proved unbeatable. The Technology sector, in particular, was the place to be, with the US NASDAQ Index rising a startling 45%.