Standard Chartered Bank has urged investors to remain diversified in the second half of 2026, saying improving macroeconomic conditions in Ghana are creating a more supportive investment environment, even as global market risks continue to shift.

The bank made the call in its H2 2026 Global Market Outlook, launched in Accra this week alongside events aimed at giving clients insight into global investment trends and their implications for Ghana’s financial landscape.

According to the report, risky assets are likely to remain supported by a soft-landing global macroeconomic environment, but investors will still need to navigate energy price movements, central bank policy shifts, equity supply pressures and changes in investor positioning in the months ahead.

For Ghanaian investors, Standard Chartered said easing inflationary pressures, stronger external buffers, renewed confidence in the cedi and improving domestic macroeconomic conditions are contributing to a more constructive investment backdrop.

However, it warned that global volatility, oil price swings and changing interest rate expectations remain key risks, reinforcing the need for diversified portfolios across geographies, currencies and asset classes.

The bank said it remains overweight on global equities, with a preference for the US and Asia excluding Japan, while also identifying selective opportunities in fixed income and alternative assets.

Its Chief Investment Office team projects further upside in major asset classes, setting a mid-2027 target of 7,950 for the US S&P 500 index and $5,100 for gold, which it said highlights the continued role of equities as a growth driver and gold as a strategic hedge in investment portfolios.

Standard Chartered noted that global equities have risen more than 12% year-to-date, buoyed by strong corporate earnings and optimism around artificial intelligence, despite geopolitical tensions, rising oil prices and elevated bond yields.

While the bank expects the positive momentum to continue into the second half of the year, it said investors would need to remain agile as markets respond to four major variables: energy prices, equity supply, investor positioning and central bank policy.

The report also pointed to Ghana’s improving macroeconomic stability following a period marked by high inflation, currency volatility and debt restructuring. It said stronger fiscal discipline, improved external reserves and robust export earnings — particularly from gold — are helping to restore investor confidence.

Nonetheless, the bank said Ghanaian investors remain vulnerable to global developments such as shifts in energy prices, US dollar strength, interest rate expectations and capital flows into emerging markets, making active portfolio management increasingly important.

“The second half of 2026 presents both opportunity and complexity,” said Dr Setor Quashigah, Head of Affluent and Wealth Management at Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC.

“While improving domestic conditions are encouraging, global markets remain dynamic and require a disciplined, long-term approach. Our role is to help clients look beyond short-term volatility, diversify thoughtfully across markets and asset classes, and build resilient portfolios that support their financial aspirations today while preserving wealth for generations to come.”