Invest with composure
Take a long view to manage volatility
History suggests investors are much less likely to suffer losses when investments are held over longer periods of time, particularly for balanced portfolios. It's therefore important to keep a long-term perspective.
Range of equity and bond total returns
%, annualised total returns, 1950-present

Source: Bloomberg Barclays, LSEG Datastream, S&P Global, Strategas/Ibbotson, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Large cap equity represents the S&P 500 Composite and Bonds represents the Strategas/Ibbotson US Government Bond Index, the US Long-term Corporate Bond Index until 2000and the Bloomberg Barclays US Agg. Corporate –Investment Grade Index from 2000 onwards. Returns shown are per annum and are calculated based on monthly returns from 1950 to latest available and include dividends. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current and future results. Guide to the Markets -Europe. Data as of 30 September 2023.
Don't panic sell when markets drop
Drawdowns are part and parcel of investing. Stock markets have mostly ended in positive territory, even in years marked by declines of more than 10%. Selling when markets are volatile therefore risks locking in losses when markets bounce back.
FTSE All-Share intra-year declines vs. calendar-year returns
%; despite average intra-year drops of 15,5% (median 12,1%), annual returns are positive in 32 of 43 years

Source: LSEG Datastream, MSCI, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Returns are local currency price returns. Intra-year decline refersto the largest market fall from peak to trough within the calendar year. Returns shown are calendar years from 1980 to 2022. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current and future results. Guide to the Markets -Europe. Data as of 30 September 2023.
Spread risk across regions, asset classes and strategies
In the last 10 calendar years, a portfolio investing in a combination of developed market and emerging market equities, investment grade and high yield bonds, property securities, commodities and hedge funds has delivered healthy returns with much less volatility than investing in equities alone.
Asset class returns (EUR)

Diversification does not guarantee positive returns nor eliminate the risk of loss.
Source: Bloomberg Barclays, FTSE, J.P. Morgan Economic Research, LSEG Datastream, MSCI, J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Annualisedreturn and volatility covers the period from 2013 to 2022. Vol. is the standard deviation of annual returns. Govt bonds: Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Government Treasuries; HY bonds: ICE BofA Global High Yield; EMD: J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Diversified; IG bonds: Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate –Corporate; Cmdty: Bloomberg Commodity; REITs: FTSE NAREIT All REITS; DM equities: MSCI World; EM equities: MSCI EM; Hedge funds: HFRI Global Hedge Fund Index; Cash: J.P. MorganCash Index EUR (3M). Hypothetical portfolio (for illustrative purposes only and should not be taken as a recommendation): 30% DM equities; 10% EM equities; 15%IGbonds; 12,5% government bonds; 7,5% HY bonds; 5% EMD; 5% commodities; 5% cash; 5% REITs and 5% hedge funds. All returns are total return, in EUR, and are unhedged. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current and future results. Guide to the Markets -Europe .Data as of 30 September 2023.
Insights for challenging markets
Market Views
Inform your investment strategy by reading the latest views on global markets from our Market Insights team.
Asset class views
Keep up to date on the latest strategy comments and allocation changes from across our investment platforms.
Market Watch – economic and market updates
Listen to our market strategists and senior investors to find out more about the economic repercussions of the war in Ukraine and its impact on markets.
Digesting recent market shocks
Recent events on global markets have raised several key questions for investors. Watch Karen Ward and Cameron Price, the Chief Risk Officer of Australian’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, as they ask whether we’re in a new inflation regime, whether it is the end for globalisation, and whether the stock/bond correlation will continue to provide effective portfolio diversification.
What is holding China back?
Is China’s underwhelming post-pandemic recovery a sign that structural problems could weigh on the world’s second largest economy for years to come? Join Karen Ward and Anuj Arora, head of Emerging Markets and Asia-Pacific equities, as they discuss the options available to policymakers and the implications for emerging markets more broadly.
Q4 Guide to the Markets
Join Karen Ward and Hugh Gimber as they discuss their latest views on the economy and markets. Karen and Hugh debate the likelihood of a “perfect landing” for the economy, analyse the best opportunities in today’s highly concentrated equity markets and address the outlook for stock-bond correlation and the impact on portfolio construction.
Building resilient portfolios
Featured funds
Seven principles for long-term investing success
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