Invest
Are we on the cusp of a recession?
Models used to forecast market directions suggest the risk of a global recession in the next two years is low, but minor shifts in market performance could change that drastically, according to a global investment firm.
Are we on the cusp of a recession?
Models used to forecast market directions suggest the risk of a global recession in the next two years is low, but minor shifts in market performance could change that drastically, according to a global investment firm.
Last year saw many investors worry that “stuttering growth” in numerous countries and “plunging” commodity prices could prompt a recession (a period of poor performance typically indicated by two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth), a recent report from Standard Life Investors noted.
“Although the worst fears of investors were not realised, and global economic growth has subsequently reaccelerated, the episode serves as a useful wake-up call,” the report said.
“It forces us to question where we sit in the global business cycle and – most importantly – when is the next recession due?”
Using a number of forecasting models, the asset management firm analysed the current market environment and found the chance of a global recession in the short term is slim, but cautioned that investors shouldn’t relax just yet.
“The modest risk of recession flagged by our models should not provide cause for complacency, especially for those investing on longer horizons,” the firm said.
“Our models have some predictive ability one and two years ahead, but their reliability fades as time goes on because the forces that bring cycles to an end are not always in view that far out and some recession triggers fall outside the scope of our framework.”
Additionally, the economists who put the report together found that only slight adjustments to market conditions were needed to dramatically increase the risk of a recession, with the most notable example being a single standard-deviation fall in year-on-year returns increased the probability of a recession on a three month horizon by 20 per cent.
Changes in a number of other variables, such as real residential investment and credit spreads are also likely to affect the possibility of a global recession, the report cautioned.
Standard Life Investments said that investors can feel confident about extending their investment horizons “for now”, but that they should keep an eye on the market moving forward to minimise their risk.
RELATED ARTICLES
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more
Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more
Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more
Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more
Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more
Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more
Property
Property advice goes rogue as risks and opportunities knock on every door
A warning from the Property Investors Council of Australia has put a spotlight on the surge of unlicensed financial advice around property strategies. This is no niche compliance issue—it’s a ...Read more
Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more
Property
Home guarantee scheme shake-up challenges Australia’s housing market players
From 1 October 2025, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) materially widens what first-home buyers can purchase and where. By sharply lifting price caps and relaxing eligibility settings, the ...Read more
Property
GSB’s first‑home buyer play: turning policy tailwinds into market share
Great Southern Bank’s latest results show that nearly one in three of its new mortgages now go to first‑home buyers—evidence of a fast‑moving market reshaped by government guarantees, easing rates and ...Read more
Property
Why investors are fleeing and renters are scrambling in Australia's housing maze
Australia’s rental market is tightening even as individual landlords sell down. New data points to a multi‑year investor retreat tied to higher holding costs and regulatory uncertainty, while prices ...Read more
Property
Australia's 5% deposit guarantee: Unlocking gains while balancing risks in the market share race
Can a bigger government guarantee fix housing access without fuelling prices? Australia is about to find out. The Albanese government’s expanded 5% deposit pathway aims to help 70,000 buyers, remove ...Read more
Property
Australia's bold move the 5% deposit scheme shaking up the housing market
Can a government guarantee replace lenders mortgage insurance without inflating prices or risk? Canberra’s accelerated 5% deposit scheme is a bold demand-side nudge in a supply‑constrained marketRead more
Property
When rates drop but stress sticks: exploring Australia's mortgage arrears dilemma
Headline numbers suggest arrears ease as rates come down. The reality in Australia is messier: broad measures dipped into mid‑2025, yet severe delinquencies and non‑bank portfolios remain under ...Read more
Property
Property advice goes rogue as risks and opportunities knock on every door
A warning from the Property Investors Council of Australia has put a spotlight on the surge of unlicensed financial advice around property strategies. This is no niche compliance issue—it’s a ...Read more
