# Q1 Portfolio Review: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-art-of-investing-7404303/q1-portfolio-review-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-art-of-investing-7404303/q1-portfolio-review-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly.md
Podcast: [The Art of Investing](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-art-of-investing-7404303)
Published: 2026-04-02T15:07:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ffd0b940
Audio file: https://pdrl.fm/7c6e9d/media.transistor.fm/ffd0b940/a5c34f92.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-art-of-investing-7404303/episodes/q1-portfolio-review-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly
Duration seconds: 4502

## Resource

This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham are back for a Quarterly Review special, reflecting on how Q1 has played out across the portfolio, with standout strength from BlackRock World Mining Trust and broader gains across developed and emerging markets, while positions like India and the VanEck Crypto ETF lagged. From oil shocks and bond volatility to crypto drawdowns and equity resilience, this episode dives deep into what’s really driving markets right now and where the opportunities may lie. This Week’s Highlights: 🏦 Rate Expectations WhipsawMarkets rapidly shift from pricing cuts to multiple hikes and back again, raising questions about whether expectations are disconnected from reality.📉 Bonds Under PressureShort-duration gilts fall sharply as rate expectations surge, challenging their role as a “safe” stabiliser in portfolios.⛽ Oil Driving the NarrativeHigher oil prices fuel inflation fears but the team argue markets may be overreacting to second-order effects on growth.📊 Equities More Resilient Than ExpectedDespite volatility, valuations (especially in the US) are becoming more attractive as multiples compress.⚠️ Crypto Volatility BitesThe VanEck Crypto ETF drops sharply, highlighting the importance of position sizing and risk management in high-volatility assets.🌍 Global Rotation & PositioningDebate around US vs emerging markets, and whether shifting allocations actually adds value, or just reshuffles risk. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 33:• Weekly performance: -1.36%• Total return since inception: +11.1% Top Performers:🥇 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +1.7%🥈 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: +0.9%🥉 Xtrackers DAX ETF: +0.5% Underperformers:📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain ETF: –11.6%📉 iShares S&P 500 GBP Hedged ETF: –…

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