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Across the globe, despite a brief comeback, many value stocks and sectors are languishing at historical lows relative to their growth counterparts. Against this backdrop, our value-oriented portfolio managers review the landscape facing investors in the world’s key economies, highlighting the opportunities we’re seeing in mispriced stocks and the potential catalysts for a value revival more broadly.

Chinese equities have recently been marked by elevated volatility, but there are signs of economic stabilisation and green shoots of improving investor sentiment. Having recently completed 10 years at the helm of Fidelity China Special Situations PLC, Dale Nicholls reflects on the key changes he’s seen on the ground through a tumultuous period and outlines why now could be an opportune time to revisit the case for Asia’s largest economy and stock market.

While discounts in the investment trusts universe make headlines (the average sector discount has widened slightly over the first quarter to nearly 16%), as managers we get on with the day job of seeking out investments that have the prospects to grow and provide positive returns for the 16,000+ shareholders holding a stake in the CT Global Managed Portfolio Trust.

Political noise is a distraction in any market environment but in an election year the clamour is heightened. So, in February we had one of our holdings, Nat West Bank, reporting its biggest annual profit since the 2007 financial crisis but in the days that followed seeing its share price fall on speculation of a possible windfall tax on the banking sector. As an investor, sometimes it feels like you can’t win.

After a challenging 2023 for equity investors holding anything other than the narrow band of large US stocks known as the Magnificent 7, there was hope at the end of the year that better times were on their way. While the risk of recessions lingered (in February the UK was confirmed to have slipped into a technical recession in Q4 2023), inflation was coming down and bond yields were falling in the expectation that interest rate cuts were just around the corner. But alas, investors jumped the gun as January saw sentiment sour and equities reverse as one central banker after another extinguished early rate cut hopes.

Portfolio managers Sam Morse and Marcel Stotzel review the challenges and complexities facing investors in Continental European equity markets. As the outlook across the region remains precariously balanced, they discuss why a balanced portfolio of sustainable dividend payers with strong pricing power has the potential to navigate a challenging macro backdrop.

Alex Wright, portfolio manager of the Fidelity Special Situations Fund and Fidelity Special Values PLC, shares his outlook for UK equities in 2024. He highlights the unloved areas of the domestic market where he sees potential for recovery and discusses why we could be at the start of a sustained period of outperformance from UK value stocks and sectors.

While the UK macro picture remains challenging, portfolio manager Alex Wright believes investment opportunities are still available for those who know where to look. He reviews recent market movements and highlights how Fidelity Special Situations & Special Values PLC are positioned to capitalise on unloved areas with overlooked potential.