Core Insights - The report emphasizes the importance of S funds and continuation funds as key liquidity sources for GPs and LPs in the private equity market [7] Public Market Insights - Stock markets are driven by AI, geopolitical factors, and monetary policy, with a focus on combining fundamental and quantitative strategies [4] - The "Seven Giants" in the U.S. continue to expand market share due to strong core businesses and strategic reinvestment, with AI capital expenditures expected to persist through 2026 [4] - Small-cap stocks are anticipated to grow, particularly in defense, technology, consumer, and healthcare sectors, although higher volatility and liquidity risks necessitate superior active management [4] - In Europe, sectors like defense, energy, and finance show potential for outperformance, with a focus on navigating market fragmentation through quantitative strategies [4] - Japan's market is supported by mild inflation, stable monetary policy, and potential fiscal support from the new government, despite high valuations [4] - Emerging markets may outperform the overall market in 2026 due to favorable macro conditions, with current forward P/E ratios approximately 40% lower than U.S. stocks [5] Private Market Insights - The private equity market is experiencing increased transaction activity due to strong capital market performance and low financing costs, with a focus on value creation and operational stability [7] - LPs are expected to maintain interest in secondary markets, with S funds and continuation funds being crucial liquidity sources amid slow exit speeds [7] - There is a growing demand for growth equity financing as companies prefer to remain private for strategic flexibility, indicating a shift towards larger funding rounds [7][8] - The private credit market is expected to see increased demand for credit financing due to a favorable M&A environment, with private credit offering higher yields than public markets [8] - Infrastructure investments are anticipated to benefit from trends in AI, digitalization, and energy production, with opportunities in areas like the circular economy [9]

Group 1 - The current U.S. stock market presents more investment opportunities compared to long-term U.S. Treasury bonds, according to BlackRock's Chief Investment Officer Rick Rieder [1] - Rieder emphasizes that short-term bonds are more attractive from a yield perspective, while long-term bonds are increasingly correlated with stock market volatility, losing their risk-hedging capability [1] - The expected return on equities, particularly growth stocks, is appealing, with a net asset return rate of 19%, suggesting significant potential growth over two years compared to long-term bonds yielding less than 5% [1] Group 2 - Rieder anticipates that long-term bonds will eventually become attractive as inflation and interest rates decline, but currently, the market trend favors short-term bonds due to concerns over the expanding U.S. federal deficit [2] - The expectation of a steeper yield curve indicates that long-term bonds are expected to underperform compared to short-term bonds, a trend that has gained popularity this year [2]