Rethinking portfolio construction for the years ahead

Retirement investing is evolving against a backdrop of market uncertainty, technological change, and shifting investor expectations. As institutions look to build more resilient portfolios for the future, questions around diversification*, income generation, risk management, and long-term outcomes are becoming increasingly important. 

Fidelity Investments explores how investors can design strategies equipped for the next phase of retirement and markets. Bringing together insights across target date investing, systematic fixed income, managed futures, and private credit, the featured research examines how portfolio construction is adapting to a world shaped by AI, changing market dynamics, and evolving sources of risk and opportunity. 

Top Insights Into Retirement Plan Design for 2026

Drawing on data from more than 28,000 defined contribution plans and 25 million participants, this report explores 11 trends shaping the future of workplace retirement plan design. Fidelity examines how changing employee behaviors, evolving workforce needs, and regulatory developments are influencing areas including engagement, retirement income solutions, emergency savings, investment menus, and managed accounts. 

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Target Date: Navigating Uncertainty with a Long-Term View 

This piece explores how target date portfolio managers are navigating heightened market uncertainty in Q2 2026. Fidelity examines the implications of geopolitical tensions, inflation, AI-driven market dynamics, and shifting monetary policy, alongside the role of global diversification* and strategic asset allocation in supporting long-term retirement outcomes. 

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Crisis Alpha with a Higher Return Potential

Periods of market stress have highlighted the defensive qualities of trend-following strategies, but can investors improve return potential without losing diversification benefits? Fidelity explores the evolving role of managed futures, crisis alpha, and portfolio resilience, alongside research into how alternative sources of alpha may complement traditional trend-following approaches. 

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Thoughts on the Software Reset for Private Credit

Recent volatility across software markets has prompted investors to reassess risk, valuations, and lending conditions in private credit. In this paper, Fidelity explores how the sector reset alongside the growing influence of AI may be creating new opportunities in more resilient, mission-critical areas of software. 

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Systematic Fixed Income: A Framework for Bond Investing

As fixed income markets become increasingly complex and data-rich, investors are exploring new ways to uncover differentiated sources of return. Fidelity examines how systematic fixed income strategies are evolving alongside advances in technology, analytics, and electronic trading, and why these approaches may offer enhanced diversification*, customization, and portfolio resilience. 

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* Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss. 

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