Investing in the final stretch of 2026 is a critical period for investors to closely review and adjust their capital strategies. Although long-term investing with a Value Investor approach remains a sustainable path to success, newcomers or those awaiting opportunities must understand short- and medium-term pressures to manage their funds effectively.
At MONEY FEST 2026: The Money Game Level Up Your Life!, Thailand’s most comprehensive investment festival organized by Thairath Money, topics on stocks, funds, real estate, gold, digital assets, FinTech, and future investments were all gathered in one event.
In the second session titled “Investment Perspectives and Trends,” experts from Bangkok Bank’s Chief Investment Office shared outlooks and analyzed future investment directions, identifying opportunities amid volatility to prepare portfolios for upcoming risks and opportunities.
Prawat Theeradusitsilp, Vice President, Wealth & Private Bank, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited He identified three main global economic factors driving markets that require well-planned strategic responses.
The first factor is geopolitical conflicts and oil prices. Although global political uncertainty indices have declined from their peak, indicating the most severe tensions have passed, oil prices have moved inversely, reaching a watch zone around $100 per barrel. It is assessed that if prices surge beyond $120 per barrel, this would become a severe risk, pressuring the global economy and pushing inflation higher again. Currently, prices remain at a controllable level.
The next factor is the driving force of AI technology, which is transforming the global economic structure completely. In 2022, the world faced high inflation crises, with U.S. inflation rising to 9% and Thailand’s inflation at 7%, prompting central banks to raise interest rates.
However, the late-year launch of ChatGPT marked a pivotal turning point, triggering massive investment flows into AI technology. In 2026 alone, the Magnificent 7 companies’ AI investments exceed the entire economic output or GDP of Thailand.
Additionally, improving global economic momentum has led to upward revisions in earnings estimates for listed companies worldwide, spreading from upstream semiconductor manufacturers to businesses applying AI to boost efficiency and profits.
The final factor is political uncertainty in the U.S. due to the midterm elections on 3 November. This is a crucial turning point, as President Donald Trump’s current approval rating is about 33%, among the lowest historically, suggesting a high risk that the ruling party may lose seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Although there was a recent proposal to distribute $5,000 per person to gain votes, legal doubts remain about its feasibility. If the ruling party loses both chambers, implementing economic stimulus policies and passing new budgets will become more difficult, with the added unprecedented risk of impeachment. Nevertheless, despite political risks, the U.S. stock market structure remains robust and has historically overcome crises over the past decade.
/ Cholathi Pornrojanangkul, Senior Vice President, Wealth & Private Bank, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited She elaborated and offered solutions addressing these circumstances, stating that despite the markets being full of pressure and volatility, opportunities for returns remain for investors who adjust strategies promptly. She presented four key investment themes for the final quarter:
Bangkok Bank maintains a positive outlook that the global economy can continue growing, emphasizing the importance of asset allocation and recommending four main investment themes as follows:
1. Foreign equities Especially the U.S. market, focusing on foreign stocks over Thai equities due to clearer profit growth trends. The U.S. market remains the primary weight because of its leadership in technology and AI.
2. Global bonds It is recommended to increase allocation to foreign bonds as current interest rates are attractive. Although rates are expected to rise, this is viewed as a rebalancing rather than a major up-cycle. Emphasis should be on medium-term bonds with average maturities of about 3-5 years to reduce risks from bond yield volatility.
3. Businesses benefiting from the AI ecosystem Investing across the entire AI supply chain, including communication sectors, materials like copper, and industrial sectors expected to continue growing for at least 1-2 more years.
4. Diversification into alternative assets To mitigate impacts during market volatility, beyond holding gold and the U.S. dollar—which typically appreciate when oil prices rise—investments in off-market assets and high-dividend Thai stocks, which have the highest proportion of energy stocks, can support and balance investment portfolios effectively.
For investors unable to follow news or adjust portfolios themselves, Bangkok Bank offers investment guidance through Portfolio Models across five risk levels, from low to highest risk, with equity proportions up to 80-90%.
These portfolios are managed by professional fund managers via B-WEALTH Series funds, diversified globally across multiple asset classes including Fund of Funds, alternative assets, and ETFs, which comprise up to 60%. This approach reduces fees and enables investors to invest long-term comfortably, minimizing emotional reactions and panic during market fluctuations.
Historical returns over more than 20 years of the global stock market clearly show that despite multiple crises, markets have consistently recovered and grown over the long term.
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