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Inflation is in the news again. Many prices are rising even before we can physically get out and spend, and governments are pouring vast amounts into the economy.

Whichever side of the inflation debate you are on, it makes sense to assess the impact inflation could have on portfolios. Most of today’s investors have never seen meaningful inflation in the whole of their professional careers. So, as we emerge from lockdowns and pent-up demand meets ongoing supply constraints, we consider how different asset classes might fare if inflation does return.

While 2021 has started not unlike how much of 2020 played out, with Covid-19 infections continuing to spread and many countries reimplementing lockdown measures, the approval and rollout of various vaccines to combat the coronavirus has been an undeniable game-changer for markets. It's provided a clearer road map for a return to some form of normality, although the path ahead is still likely to remain bumpy, with continued uncertainties in the offing.

World order has never been so complex for investors. The US and China have entered a new phase of long-term strategic global competition. America has moved decisively from engagement to containment of China’s technological, economic and military power. Globalisation has created new arenas for renewed ‘Great Power’ competition: financial markets; cyber and outer space; technology; the corporate world. As world order bifurcates, investors are on the front line.

How should global business families of wealth navigate the choppy investment waters in the year ahead? Is a global economic recession looming and what does that mean for family investors? Emma Rutter, investment director at Ruffer LLP, urges diversification in portfolios, says environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria should be a prism to view all investments through and explains why “liquidity will be king”.

Where does Ruffer see investment opportunities in 2020?