We are all operating in a market that’s growing, but where performance, valuations and risk are increasingly diverging across asset classes. Public equities have risen sharply, private markets are advancing more slowly, and debt issuance continues to expand even as higher yields weigh on bond prices. For managers and investors, the challenge isn’t simply to participate in that growth, but to understand where performance, pricing and risk have started to diverge, and what that means for decisions on deployment, valuation, liquidity and reporting.
The report, viewpoints and articles in this edition were produced in September 2026. They examine the differences across listed and private equity, sovereign and corporate bonds, private credit, real estate and infrastructure, setting out the market picture clearly and looking beneath the headline numbers at the forces shaping each asset class.
Several questions run through the analysis. Can strong corporate earnings continue to support listed-equity valuations while long-term yields remain high? Will the gap between buyer and seller expectations keep slowing private equity exits? And, as private credit matures through a more demanding part of the cycle, will investors have sufficient visibility over payment-in-kind interest, borrower stress and the quality of reported returns?
These aren’t abstract issues. They influence how managers value assets, structure transactions, oversee cash flows, communicate with investors and respond to growing operational complexity.
Thank you to our viewpoint participants; Elizabeth F. Weindruch, Managing Director, Head of Private Equity Solutions, Barings, Scott Berry, CFO, Apache Capital, Richard Day, COO, Schroders Green coat, and Vincent Calgano, Head of Growth, Asset Manager Services, Ocorian U.S. Their perspectives and expertise have added valuable insight to this report.
At Ocorian, our priority is to help our clients navigate complexity with confidence and remove administrative and regulatory burden. We give them the freedom to focus on what they do best, providing clients the clarity to make decisions and the capacity to act when it matters most.
That starts with a clear view of the market and the practical implications behind it. The report, articles and viewpoints that follow offer both: a measured assessment of where global assets stand in 2026, and a closer look at the pressures and opportunities likely to shape the next phase.
Should you wish to discuss any of the themes explored in this report, or how Ocorian can support you or your business, my contact details are below.
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Ben Hill
Global Head of Asset Manager Services, Ocorian