First quarter 2026.
SEI Forward: First quarter 2026
Global markets struggled during the last month of the quarter as the conflict in Iran and ongoing private credit troubles forced investors to reassess the outlook for global economic growth, the future path of monetary policy, and optimistic expectations for double-digit earnings growth. Equities reversed course during the quarter as fighting in the Middle East erupted, prompting the U.S. market to outperform the rest of the world in the downturn. The spike in energy costs and other commodities weighed on market performance as the energy sector was the lone positive in March and was the strongest performer during the quarter.
The severity of the selloff in global short-term yields was a bit surprising as investors priced in higher inflation and priced out any notion of central bank easing. Credit spreads widened on the growing private credit concerns which were further heighten ed as several high -profile funds gated investor redemptions.
Lastly, the U.S. dollar was among the few beneficiaries of a flight to safety, finishing the quarter in the green, while gold traded well off its all-time highs.
Important information.
Index returns are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent actual investment performance. Index performance returns do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. Indexes are unmanaged, and one cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance does not guarantee future results.