Bento Bulletin_

An independent whitepaper from Verve takes a closer look at what really sits inside today's multi-asset funds – exploring concentration risk, private markets exposure and portfolio resilience. Includes five practical prompts to help you review your client portfolios with confidence.

Read the whitepaper

In this episode of Upfront, James Budden and James Dow discuss recent developments in Baillie Gifford's investment trusts, the case for active investing in concentrated markets, and Sea Limited's ecommerce growth in Southeast Asia. Capital at risk.

Watch the latest investment update

With inflation more persistent and volatile, the traditional equity-bond relationship is becoming less reliable. Read M&G's Lighthouse article for expert insight on how private markets can strengthen diversification and build resilience across inflation regimes.

Rethink the 60/40 portfolio

Prudential International has achieved an A financial strength rating and 5 stars for service from independent ratings agency AKG. These are the strongest ratings received to date and reflect both financial strength and service delivery. The latest AKG assessment is available to support adviser due diligence and research activity.

Review the latest AKG ratings

In today’s global artificial intelligence (AI) industry, the US leads in frontier models and accelerator design, Taiwan manufactures the most advanced chips, South Korea supplies high-bandwidth memory, and investors crowd into the most obvious winners. 

See China’s AI advantage

Baillie Gifford Investment manager Roderick Snell explains why emerging markets look increasingly compelling. Capital at risk.

Unlock EM growth opportunities

Gain a multi-asset perspective

Bonds may not hedge every shock, but they still protect balanced portfolios when growth falters. Capital at risk

Reinforce the role of bonds

Lighthouse Edition 2 is now available. Explore the latest market insights to support informed client conversations and portfolio decisions.

Explore the latest insights

In a more volatile world, capital growth has ceased to be investors’ top priority, according to Schroders Global Investor Insights Survey 2026. Instead, equities must play a part in achieving greater diversification and downside protection.

Rethink the role of equities

Baillie Gifford's Qian Zhang explores why a multipolar world could increasingly favour emerging markets. Capital at risk.

Explore the re-globalisation story

It’s 50 years since Steve Wozniak created the first Apple computer and changed the face of modern technology. And his curiosity and insights are as keen now as they were in 1976.

Hear from a tech pioneer

There are lots of ways to build protection recommendations, a lot of the time it’s straightforward, but sometimes getting creative is necessary. I would like to make sure I’m clear that being creative must still be compliance approved!

Think differently about protection

The Iran conflict has triggered fresh policy challenges for Japan. The Ministry of Finance has resumed yen intervention but will struggle to reverse depreciation while the Iran conflict remains unresolved. The Bank of Japan is close to hiking and reconsidering its bond tapering path. 

Track Japan’s policy outlook

Individual income protection specialists, Cirencester Friendly have introduced a minimum benefit guarantee of a maximum of £1,500 a month on their Income Assured and My Earnings income protection products. This is now available to both new and existing members on both products and available for all new claims.

Explore the new guarantee

The US high yield market has weathered recent market turbulence well, but selectivity is becoming increasingly paramount.

Explore resilient income opportunities

Baillie Gifford's Andrew Keiller explains why emerging markets are producing more standout businesses. Capital at risk.

Discover world-class EM companies

The weekly market commentary from the investment experts at M&G Life Investment Office for you to read and there’s also a customer-friendly version to share directly with your clients.

Share market context with clients

Reserve your webinar place

Today’s cybercriminals are shifting their tactics. They are increasingly targeting human behaviour rather than systems, using tactics like phishing, impersonation, and psychological manipulation to gain access. Understanding these threats is key to protecting you, your business, clients, and reputation.

Strengthen cyber resilience

Join Session 3 of our Trusts School series to explore key trust types, when to use them, and the pitfalls advisers need to watch for.

Learn more and sign up here

Rising interest rates are back, but why? What does this mean for inflation, growth and equities?

Prepare for shifting rates

The rise of US technology mega-caps has led to the US stockmarket dwarfing the markets of other countries. Several of the largest US companies each have individual values which are comparable with – or bigger than – the total value of the entire stockmarkets of other countries such as the UK or Japan.

Look beyond US dominance

This episode focuses on underdisclosure in protection insurance. Also known as misrepresentation or non-disclosure, this is a situation that everyone wants to avoid. Underdisclosure might not change the terms of insurance, but, it can lead to prices or sum assureds changing, and in the worst case a policy being cancelled from inception.

Avoid underdisclosure risks

BNP Paribas Asset Management portfolio managers, Pamela Hegarty and Derek Glynn, answer key questions regarding the future of artificial intelligence and investing in the technology sector.

Explore AI investment opportunities

The tech boom makes the transition to clean energy ever more urgent – but also more achievable. We find out why at the world's largest industrial innovation summit.

Discover the next industrial shift

This June and July sees the world’s finest footballers competing for the ultimate prize in the game. But what does that have to do with investing? More than you might think.

Build a winning portfolio

A surge in energy prices pushed the latest U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading above forecasts, reinforcing the case that inflation could remain higher for longer. Higher energy prices have also increased market volatility and uncertainty around the path of interest rates.

Respond to rising inflation

While there may be some areas of excessive optimism, infrastructure spending has generally been in line with demand and mostly funded from operating cash flows. AI products and services continue to be monetized rapidly.

Explore AI’s growth potential

Putting all your money in a global tracker fund means betting the theme of US exceptalism that has driven markets higher over the past 15 years will continue indefinately. Artemis' Harry Eastwood explains why this may not be the case.

Rethink global passive exposure

When valuations are at current high levels, the case for equities hinges strongly on earnings.

See what’s driving earnings

Although companies benefiting most directly from AI-related capital spending are the main drivers of higher earnings, strength is no longer confined to that group. Earnings across the broader market remain solid and are expected to grow more than 10% this year and next, suggesting the risk of concentrated market leadership may not be founded.

Look beyond AI winners

It’s common to be asked what and how a client is paid in the event of a claim. Our Claims Team chat you through what to expect, and what could potentially impact your client’s benefit.

Understand how claims are paid

Most often associated with growth investing, a new look at how emerging markets represent a uniquely appealing income universe for today’s active investors with a total return mindset.

Discover EM income opportunities

For many investors, emerging markets still carry familiar labels: volatile, complex and difficult to own.

Stay ahead in emerging markets

Use the calculator

In the same way your protection recommendations are unique to every client, your conversations shouldn’t be a one-size fits all either. Explore how to make protection conversations more personal, with insights from their Reaching Resilience research into different client types’ needs including first-time buyers, parents and the self-employed. 

Personalise protection advice

Recent volatility in global technology shares has been partly caused by better-than-expected US economic data which led to market expectations for higher fed funds rates in the future.

See what’s moving markets