Bob Doll: 7 Expectations for Markets, Economy

This isn't your father's balanced portfolio — at least as far as likely returns over the next decade — Bob Doll, Crossmark Global Investments' chief investment officer, suggests. "The outlook for a balanced portfolio over the next 10 years is unimpressive by the standards of recent decades, reflecting the end of the era of low and/or falling interest rates," Doll said in an essay Monday. Near-term risks include the Israel-Hamas war potentially spreading, threatening oil prices; continued defense spending increases for overseas conflicts; "out of control" U.S. fiscal policy; a "somewhat dysfunctional" federal government; and inflation remaining above the Federal Reserve's 2% target, he wrote. Doll called the geopolitical environment treacherous. While he has yet to release his official 2024 predictions, the CIO set several near- and long-term expectations for financial markets and the economy. Check out the gallery for a glimpse into Doll's thinking. (Image: Chris Nicholls/ALM; Bloomberg)