Year ahead 2022: the top trends to watch this year

How will inflation impact economic recovery? Will we see as many IPOs? What can we expect from electric vehicles?

Explore these questions and more in our 2022 economic outlook.

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Market outlook 2022: our analysts’ expectations

The past couple of years have been marked by lockdowns, vaccine rollouts, re-openings and inflation. This time last year, it felt like the worst was behind us and that 2021 would bring about the end of the uncertainty Covid-19 brought us. As we all know, this never really happened.

As we started to prepare for 2022, thanks to the vaccine rollout and increasing growth, markets seemed confident that the new year would create opportunities. But the omicron variant has dampened spirits once again. Now the message is clear: volatility is likely to continue.

Looking ahead, there’s a sense of déjà vu. No one knows what’s in store for us but there are a few trends that are likely to follow us from 2021, and some exciting opportunities that the new year could bring.

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What to watch in 2022

Discover our market analysts’ expectations the top trends to watch in the new year.

There were more listings than ever before in 2021 but end-of-year volatility caused some to be delayed to the new year. With the likes of TikTok, InstaCart and Stripe expected to list, will we see another record-breaking year for IPOs in 2022? Learn more
Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta and Netflix have delivered record earnings in 2021 and shares have hit all-time highs, but can Big Tech stocks keep up the momentum in 2022 as markets forecast a severe slowdown in growth? Learn more
Electric vehicle stocks have exploded in value during 2021, with Tesla hitting the $1 trillion mark and newcomers Rivian and Lucid earning bumper price tags. But how will things shape-up as competition intensifies in 2022? Learn more
Rising inflation was the story of 2021 for global markets. If central banks want to halt it, they'll have some work to do in 2022! Does that mean raising rates? Learn more
Commodity currencies underperformed during a year but that doesn’t mean they cannot make up for lost time in 2022. We've assessed the relative output gaps and monetary policies to rank potential performance for AUD/USD, NZD/USD and USD/CAD next year. Learn more
Following a multi-decade slumber, inflation is once again at the forefront of traders’ minds. With easing policy and supply chain issues likely to linger through the first half of 2022, price pressures could get still get worse in 2022. Learn more
As economies attempted to rebound from the pandemic the global energy crisis saw oil and gas prices soaring to multi-year highs in 2021. At its high in October, oil prices had soared 65% across 2021. Early signs suggest that the energy crisis could continue into 2022, so what could this mean for oil prices going forward? Learn more
Our expectations for the gold price in 2022, using the fundamentals, macro economics, geopolitics and the central banks’ attitudes. Does inflation really matter this time around? We look at that capricious metal silver, which is never really a safe haven… Learn more
After three straight years of gains, major indices including the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and DAX will face headwinds from elevated valuations, tightening policy, and the ongoing pandemic in 2022, but history suggests another year of gains is likely. Learn more
Get our take on what 2022, The Year of the Tiger holds for the Chinese economy, Chinese equities and whether the CNY can continue to outperform. Learn more
After a strong economic rebound in 2021, growth is expected to decelerate in 2022, whilst inflation could keep rising. Brexit and pandemic risks remain. What does this mean for the GBP & FTSE outlook in 2022? Learn more

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