Indian Business & Professional Council and Standard Chartered Explore Opportunities Amid Shifting Global Markets
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) | Published September 15, 2026 | 02:15 AM
DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 15th Sep, 2026)
The Indian Business & Professional Council Dubai (IBPC Dubai) and Standard Chartered hosted a gathering of senior business leaders, investors, and wealth professionals for Outlook H2 2026: Navigating Shifting Sands, a market outlook focusing on forces shaping investment decisions through the second half of the year.
Sunny Narang, Convener, Financial Services & Capital Markets (FSCM) Focus Group, IBPC Dubai, opened the session by posing two central questions:
- Where should we invest?
- What does the future hold?
He emphasized a long-term perspective beyond short-term market noise, focusing on structural forces shaping opportunities into 2026 and beyond.
The discussion explored how artificial intelligence, elevated interest rates, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting currency dynamics are influencing global capital allocation. It also considered India and the UAE’s potential as wealth and investment hubs for globally connected Global Indians.
Rajesh Kannan, Head, Wealth and Retail Banking, UAE; Head, International Banking, EMEA; Jersey (UK) and Global Indian, Standard Chartered, stated:
"True resilience is more than the ability to withstand disruption; it is the ability to continue making purposeful decisions through change, protecting what matters, preserving flexibility, and remaining ready when opportunity emerges."
He highlighted the UAE’s ability to turn uncertainty into opportunity, the deepening India-UAE relationship, and how Global Indians manage wealth across markets and generations. Standard Chartered’s role, he said, is to empower clients to navigate this complexity with confidence through thoughtful advice, diversification, and access to their international network.
Manpreet Gill, Chief Investment Officer, Africa, Middle East and Europe, Standard Chartered, presented the Bank’s market outlook. He highlighted opportunities across bonds, equities, and gold:
- 10-year real yields near 2008 highs present an opportunity for investors to lock in yields while high-quality corporate bonds remain attractive.
- Standard Chartered remains constructive on global equities, supported by resilient earnings.
- Rising AI adoption drives demand for computing capacity but caution against concentrating portfolios in a single theme.
He recommended broader exposure including financials in the US, Europe (excluding UK and Japan), India, and China. The Bank predicts the USD Index will ease to 98 over three months and 96 over twelve months. Gold has also been upgraded, supported by emerging market strength.
