Dear Investor,
Zee here. Time of the month again, to share our monthly update on our portfolio. You can read last month’s portfolio update here.
Public Portfolio Update: September 2026
YTD (1st Jan 2026 to 23rd Sept 2026) performance: +29.00%
MTD (1st Aug 2026 to 23rd Sept 2026) performance: +5.59%
Cash left uninvested: 0%
Our Portfolio Review:
Markets bounced back to near all-time high, after the US provided certainty on rate hikes.
On September 16, 2026, the US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point (0.25%), taking it from 3.50%–3.75% up to 3.75%–4.00%. This was notable because it was the Fed’s first rate hike since 2023, before that, the Fed had spent 2024–2025 cutting rates. It was also the first big decision under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, and the vote was unanimous.
Why they hiked: Inflation has stayed stubbornly above the Fed’s 2% target (current at 3.4%), partly driven by energy/oil prices, while the job market has held up fine. When inflation won’t cool down on its own and the economy isn’t weak, the Fed’s usual tool is to raise rates to slow borrowing and spending.
What a rate hike means in plain terms:
The Fed doesn’t set stock prices directly, it sets the cost of borrowing money for banks, which ripples out to mortgages, credit cards, auto loans, and business loans.
Higher rates = borrowing gets more expensive = companies and consumers tend to spend/invest less = economic growth cools.
Higher rates also make “safe” investments like savings accounts, fixed deposits and bonds pay more, which can make stocks look relatively less attractive by comparison.
Disclaimer:
All information here is for educational purposes only. This is not financial advice. Please do your own research and speak with a licensed advisor before making any investment decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. How we invest may not suit your investment goals and risk management profile.