As 2013 draws to a close it’s great to look back at the achievements of the year.
As 2013 draws to a close it’s great to look back at the achievements of the year.
For many investors who have confidently invested in share markets the rewards should have been very good. For clients of Financial Keys we are happy to say that our active managed investment portfolios have performed extremely well, with our High Growth model delivering 32% over the past yeari.
iPerformance to 31 December 2013.
Global markets delivered mixed but generally resilient outcomes over the December quarter, as investors navigated shifting expectations for interest rates, valuation pressures and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. Early volatility gave way to steadier conditions toward year end, supported by the US Federal Reserve’s December rate cut and continued confidence in corporate earnings. Artificial intelligence remained a key structural theme, while strength in defensive sectors, commodities, and gold helped balance a more selective risk appetite.
2025 unfolded against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions, shifting central bank policy, and uneven global growth. Markets began the year cautiously, with Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency renewing tariff uncertainty and contributing to early volatility as investors assessed potential impacts on trade, inflation and corporate earnings. Confidence gradually improved as inflation moderated across major economies and expectations for steadier policy settings emerged. A powerful theme in markets was the accelerated investment in artificial intelligence, which became a central driver of global market leadership as the year progressed.
Global markets surged in the September quarter of 2025 driven by optimism around monetary easing and A.I. innovation alleviating earlier concerns over tariffs and slowing growth. Global equities powered higher on a wave of strong earnings, a long-anticipated US rate cut, and continued enthusiasm for A.I. Commodity and credit markets also strengthened, while volatility briefly flared around policy uncertainty and fiscal stress, particularly in Europe, amid a looming US government shutdown.