20/05/2026
Picking next year’s top-performing asset class is close to impossible.
Take emerging markets. In 2017, they were the best-performing asset class in the world, up 37%. In 2018, they were the worst, down 14%. In 2019, they bounced back with an 18% increase.
One year top. The next year’s bottom. The year after that, back again.
Every asset class does it. Australian shares, international shares, bonds, property, and cash. The leaderboard reshuffles every year, and no one can tell you in January which one will win in December.
That’s why diversification matters more than forecasting.
A diversified portfolio holds a bit of everything. You give up the chance of owning the single top performer, but you also avoid being stuck in the worst one. The ride gets smoother, which matters most when markets wobble and the temptation to sell into cash is strongest.
Investors who move to cash after a fall usually miss the rebound.
Staying diversified is how you stay invested. Staying invested is how you capture the long-term returns.
If your portfolio is heavily tilted towards one asset class, or recent volatility has you thinking about shifting everything to cash, it’s worth a conversation before you act.