Although equity markets should be positive in 2022, returns will be more muted and risks are rising as central banks begin to withdraw liquidity, says Johanna Kyrklund, chief investment officer and global head of Multi-Asset Investment at Schroders.
In the shorter term we expect inflation momentum to peak as supply bottlenecks ease, but central banks are still likely to raise interest rates. Levels of immunity are considerably higher, even in the face of mutations; governments have become more experienced and react more quickly, and the processes of how to develop new vaccines are increasingly efficient and streamlined. Market participants have also developed a framework to consider the virus.