From geopolitical tensions to questionable economic fundamentals, investors have plenty to be concerned about. But markets, which climb the proverbial “wall of worry” have posted a meaningful rebound off summer lows. In this episode of CIO Perspectives, Bertie Thomson, Erika Pagel and Sid Ahl dissected recent market moves and the most pressing risks for markets, as well as how to position for longer-term opportunities. CIO Perspectives Podcast: Europe’s Energy Crunch, China Tensions and Dissecting the Market Melt-up The themes and topics discussed include: The outlook for Europe, which may be facing an energy crisis as colder weather approaches. With gas supplies tenuous, searches in Germany for firewood (“brennholz”) have skyrocketed according to Bloomberg. Semiconductor giant Taiwan Semiconductors as a lens to view rising tensions between China and Taiwan, and why China’s reliance on semiconductors from the company may serve as a silver lining. If inflationary dynamics may be easing in the U.S., implications for Fed policy and whether the typical 70% equity and 30% fixed income deserves a rethink in a year marked by such high-interest rate volatility. How to identify and potentially invest in high-quality companies with pricing power, which we believe are well positioned in the current environment and may offer attractive return potential over longer time horizons. Other potential pockets of opportunity in the market including the beaten-down biotech sector, emerging opportunities in the energy transition and the impact of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act may have on the latter. As always, we welcome your thoughts, feedback and questions. Speakers: Bertie Thomson, Erika Pagel and Sid Ahl MORE ON THIS TOPIC Inflection Points: 2022 Asset Allocation Perspectives and Outlook Report Our new publication “Outlook 2022: Inflection Points” by Sid Ahl, Erika Pagel, Taylor Graff and J.R. Rodrigo is now available. This year’s report examines several issues that the team is monitoring as we head into 2022. Read more > CIO Roundtable: Inflation Greenflation and Tech Regulation We discuss how transitory inflation may actually be, and how we have been positioning portfolios. We discuss “greenflation,” why the semiconductor shortage is playing an outsized role in inflation and why a potential capital expenditure boom could help contain inflationary pressures over the longer term. We also look at China, where we've seen regulatory crackdowns and concerns about its real estate sector weighing on the country and emerging markets more broadly. We also discuss the technology sector, where some high-profile tech giants may be facing increasing regulatory scrutiny. Read more > The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. 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