NNuggets
BookmarksCollections
  • About Us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Copyright & Takedown Policy
  • Community Guidelines
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact

© 2026 Nuggets

NuggetsMarket PulseCollections

On this page

Principle 2: Returns Are Higher Where Capital Is Scarce

  • Principle 2: Returns Are Higher Where Capital Is Scarce
  • Principle 3: Last Cycle’s Winners Rarely Repeat
  • Market Rotation Underway
  • Historical Analogy
  • Portfolio Positioning (RBA View)
  • Strategic Takeaways for Investors
  • Bottom Line

On this page

  • Principle 2: Returns Are Higher Where Capital Is Scarce
  • Principle 3: Last Cycle’s Winners Rarely Repeat
  • Market Rotation Underway
  • Historical Analogy
  • Portfolio Positioning (RBA View)
  • Strategic Takeaways for Investors
  • Bottom Line
RBA/February 22, 2026/2 min read/rbadvisors.com

3 Investing Principles And Why They Signal International Markets for 2026 | 19 Feb 2026 | RBA

Source

The Three Core Investing Principles

The report grounds its outlook in three "tried and true" principles that dictate long-term market performance:

  • Earnings Growth as the Driver: It is the growth of earnings, rather than the absolute level, that dictates equity performance.
  • Capital Scarcity: Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is historically highest in areas where capital is scarce.
  • Cycle Rotation: Market winners from the previous cycle are rarely the leaders in the next.

Executive Thesis

  • Core investing principles suggest international equities are positioned to lead in 2026
  • Market leadership may rotate away from prior U.S. mega-cap dominance
  • Earnings momentum, capital scarcity, and macro regime change are the key drivers

Principle 1: Earnings Growth Drives Returns (Not Earnings Levels)

References

  1. Original source (rbadvisors.com)

Disclaimer: Orignal content owned by or sourced from third parties. It does not represent the views of 'Nuggets' platform or it's team. AI is used extensively across this platform including for summaries. Accuracy is not guaranteed, there can be mistakes. Any info or content on this platform is not a financial, legal, or investment advice. Do your own research. Refer for complete disclosures:- Terms of Use · Full Disclaimer

Related nuggets

Jun 2, 2026

AI Is Escaping the Screen | 01 Jun 2026 | Coatue

Coatue : AI is entering a new phase: moving beyond digital tools and into fully autonomous systems operating in the physical world. From advanced manufacturing and surgical robotics to robots in the home, the next wave of innovation will b…

Jun 2, 2026

Kalshi Monthly Volume - Politics ($M) | Chart of the Day | Coatue

Coatue: Kalshi's political volume has scaled dramatically, and the American Power Index KPOW is what that scale enables: a single number gauge of the current balance of political power and where markets expect it to move, which Kalshi bill…

Jun 2, 2026

Partnership Perspectives: Network International | 2 Jun 2026 | Brookfield Perspectives

"Brookfield's the largest infrastructure owner in the world... We drew a pipeline and we showed all the different components of the payments ecosystem on a pipeline and said it's like a pipe that moves any commodity except what it's moving…

Jun 1, 2026

Brendan Greeley on the 500 Year History of the Dollar | 1 Jun 2026 | Macro Musings

Actions

Reading

Published
February 22, 2026
Read time
2 min read
Progress0%

Core Insight

  • Equity performance follows earnings acceleration, not absolute profit size
  • Relative momentum matters more than headline numbers

Current Setup (2026 Outlook)

  • U.S. earnings growth: flattening
  • International earnings growth: accelerating
  • Emerging markets: positioned for cyclical improvement

Implication

  • Leadership likely shifts toward regions with improving earnings trajectories
  • Developed international markets appear strongest on momentum

Chart 1
Chart 1


Principle 2: Returns Are Higher Where Capital Is Scarce

Capital Allocation Imbalance

According to Bank of America GWIM private client data:

  • International equities = 5% average portfolio allocation
  • International weight in MSCI ACWI = 36%
  • “Magnificent 7” allocation = 16%
  • Magnificent 7 ACWI weight = 22%

Interpretation

  • Massive underweight to international equities
  • Much larger gap vs. benchmark than U.S. mega-cap underweight
  • Scarcity of capital → potential for higher forward returns

Chart 2
Chart 2


Principle 3: Last Cycle’s Winners Rarely Repeat

Previous Cycle (2010–2021)

  • Low inflation
  • Zero interest rates
  • Quantitative easing
  • Concentrated earnings growth
  • Long-duration assets outperformed
  • Mega-cap tech dominance

Emerging Regime (2026+)

  • Stickier inflation
  • Higher interest rates
  • Less central bank liquidity
  • Broader earnings growth

Likely Beneficiaries

  • International markets
  • Value stocks
  • Industrials
  • Small caps
  • Commodity-sensitive sectors

Chart 3
Chart 3


Market Rotation Underway

  • Investors remain crowded in:
    • AI
    • Crypto
    • Mega-cap growth
  • Breadth expanding outside U.S.
  • Broader opportunity set than any period since 2010

Historical Analogy

  • In 2010, pessimism toward U.S. equities created opportunity
  • Today: similar skepticism toward international markets
  • Improving fundamentals + low positioning = asymmetrical setup

Portfolio Positioning (RBA View)

As articulated by Deputy CIO Michael Contopoulos:

  • Overweight developed international equities
  • Selective emerging market exposure
  • Tilt toward cyclical/value-oriented sectors
  • Underweight crowded long-duration trades

Strategic Takeaways for Investors

  • Focus on earnings acceleration, not past winners
  • Recognize capital scarcity outside the U.S.
  • Prepare for leadership rotation
  • Diversify beyond mega-cap concentration
  • Position for a structurally different macro regime

Bottom Line

The three timeless principles converge on one conclusion:

International markets are structurally better positioned for leadership in 2026 due to earnings momentum, capital scarcity, and regime change.

"Alexander Hamilton called it the ancient dollar it was already an established uh uh unit of measure it was already an established currency well before the United States" Brendan Greeley 00:06:55 https://youtu.be/QiX7KmApTtI?si=cdzwMESLY6t…