Is your portfolio ready for 2027? Four things to do now

So, what does this mean for you? Although there are still three months left in the year, it’s time to start preparing your portfolio for 2027.

Here are four steps to take to increase your chances of being in decent financial shape ahead of the notoriously busy Christmas period.

1. Review: How have your investments performed?

How have your investments performed over the past year? Has the value of your overall portfolio risen or fallen? Basically, have you made a decent return or loss? Think of it as your end-of-term assessment. Drill down into the numbers. What’s worked well and what’s disappointed? Have there been any surprises? You need to compare the return with the benchmark and what’s been achieved by rival funds. You may be happy with a 5% return until you see most managers have achieved 7%. Establish what’s driven the performance. Was it down to the manager’s decision-making or events outside of their control, such as war or economic instability?

Read more: A 3-minute guide to understanding investment performance

2. Assess: Are your circumstances the same?

Before making changes, consider if your circumstances have changed. This will affect how much you can invest, the risk you’re willing to take, and the return you need.

Ask yourself questions:

• Can you afford to invest more?
• Do you have more financial commitments?
• What are your longer-term goals?
• Are you expecting your income to rise?

For example, if you can take more risk with your money, you may decide to increase emerging market exposure in the hope of better returns. Conversely, if money’s tight and you need an additional revenue stream, then an income-producing fund could make sense. Everyone’s different, so decide what suits you best. Don’t forget: it’s crucial to set aside money in an easy-access savings account before you start worrying about investing.

3. Research: Where are experts finding opportunities?

What do you expect to happen over the coming year? No one has a crystal ball, but it’s worth exploring what financial gurus are predicting. Most investment houses and economic experts will be publishing their forecasts for the coming year, so read as much as you can.

A few interesting insights have already been released. The good news is that global growth is expected to rise by 3.4% in 2027, according to the International Monetary Fund*. However, those increases are likely to be uneven. Energy importers and vulnerable economies are being adversely affected by the war, while AI-driven demand is boosting companies involved in global technology.

Artificial intelligence is likely to be a long-term theme, and picks-and-shovels providers will likely benefit.

Elsewhere, BlackRock’s latest update highlighted how global government bond yields have surged this summer. “We stay constructive on risk but selective, favouring AI bottlenecks, shorter-term bonds and opportunities beyond asset class labels,” it explained.

Read more: Why rising bond yields could spell trouble for stock markets

4. Rebalance: implement the changes

You’ve revisited your circumstances, reviewed the performance of existing assets and researched what the experts are predicting for the year ahead. Now’s the time to rebalance or restructure your own portfolio. Where do you want exposure? Are you looking to add more to certain asset classes? What are you planning to axe? Plenty of investment funds can help reinvigorate your portfolio. Here are a few that could be worth adding to the mix:

Our first suggestion is T. Rowe Price Global Focused Growth Equity. This taps into the ongoing global growth story and the AI boom. The managers can invest anywhere in the world, although the largest holdings include tech giants such as NVIDIA, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and Apple***.

If you want some fixed income exposure, then Jupiter Strategic Bond could fit the bill. This is a flexible, go-anywhere fund that gives the manager freedom to explore global bond markets. Just over half the fund is in corporate names, with around 36% in government bonds and 3.5% in asset-backed securities. The UK is its largest geographic exposure, followed by Europe ex-UK***.

Finally, an option for those wanting a manager to make the asset allocation calls. BNY Mellon Multi-Asset Balanced invests in a variety of international bonds and equities. The managers use various themes to target the forces driving global market change, then seek exposure in the most efficient ways.

*Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook update, July 2026
**Source: BlackRock, 15 September 2026
***Source: fund factsheet, 31 August 2026