CIO reading list March 2026: The next 100 years for markets

How much longer does this cycle have to run?

Amid today's geopolitical and technological shake-ups, it feels as though we're on the precipice of a once-in-a-century shift in markets. But so far, macro conditions have remained supportive and markets have weathered the volatility. So, for how much longer will this cycle continue? Where can CIOs find opportunities among the uncertainty? Deutsche Bank, PGIM, Myrmikan Capital, and others offer insights on allocating capital in this ever-changing world.

For CIOs

Private Credit’s Other Lanes Still Offer Value (PIMCO)

Much of the scrutiny around private credit has centered on corporate direct lending, but are investors missing the bigger picture by focusing on this segment of the asset class?

Rethinking Cash: The Role of Public Debt Money Market Funds (BNP Paribas AM)

As institutional approaches to cash management evolve, public debt money market funds offer a framework for preserving capital, accessing liquidity, and managing short-term risk.

Asset Allocation: Battles on Multiple Fronts (Candriam)

Aligning allocation with the forces that are likely to persist: resilient but uneven growth, decelerating monetary easing, rising geopolitical tensions, and an evolving capital spending cycle.

Macro Insights Chartbook Q1 2026 (Fisher Investments)

Today’s environment contains doubt, fear, and skepticism—ingredients that allow bull markets to continue climbing the proverbial wall of worry, suggesting that the cycle may still have years to run.

The Year Ahead (PGIM)

Exploring four macro and investment themes dominating 2026, their implications for economies and markets, and the opportunity set they present for investors.

Prospects for Global Imbalances in 2026 and Beyond: Another China Shock? (PIIE)

China’s booming trade surplus made headlines last year. Will it rise further—and increasingly take sales away from producers in the rest of the world?

EM-DM Convergence: A Secular Trade on Deglobalization (DoubleLine)

Many EMs, having benefited from globalization, have much sounder economic and financial foundations than generally recognized, creating an EM-DM convergence and an opportunity for investors.

Opportunistic Credit amid a Capital Structure Reset (Davidson Kempner)

Opportunistic credit’s flexible mandate doesn’t align neatly with traditional asset class categories, but what if investors considered that flexibility as the source of its alpha potential?

Strengthening Pension Savings in Emerging Markets (CFA Institute)

Pension reform in EMs lies at the intersection of digital capability and behavioral science, enabling systems that help people at all levels of financial literacy make better decisions about retirement savings.

From CIOs

AI Panic and War – and a Market that Won’t Break (Arbion)

The broader macro backdrop remains supportive, keeping markets largely intact despite volatility. In this environment, are there opportunities for deploying capital rather than remaining overly defensive?

Interesting Times (Merrill)

Volatility as noise, rather than a trend-breaker: Can equity performance broaden across styles, sectors, and geographies in these “interesting times”?

EU-Mercosur Agreement: New Opportunities Ahead (Deutsche Bank)

The EU-Mercosur trade agreement: What are the implications for investment and trade flows, and which equity market sectors are most likely to benefit on both sides of the deal?

SaaSpocalypse, the AI Death Star and Private Credit Indigestion (Brown Advisory)

Perspectives on the sharp market reaction to AI, the so‑called AI Death Star, and the recent pressure in private credit—and how today’s volatility is creating opportunity.

What's Driving Private Credit Valuations? (DWS)

A closer look at what’s happening in business development companies (BDCs) and how it’s affecting private credit, as investors reassess whether valuations and liquidity assumptions still hold.

Trump's Gamble (Myrmikan Capital)

The geopolitical effects of President Trump’s decision-making and how they are impacting the gold market.