CALGARY – A top adviser at JPMorgan Asset Management says the firm is leaning heavily on its deep in-house research capabilities as navigates geopolitical upheaval and global economic uncertainty.
Shayan Hussain is head of U.S. investment specialists for global fixed income, currency and commodities at the investment manager, which had US$4 trillion under management globally as of last September.
He’s on a six-city Canadian road-show this week to promote JPMorgan’s offerings in Canada, which it aims to expand.
Hussain says JPMorgan spends half a billion dollars a year on research, and investments are scrutinized bond-by-bond — particularly important in today’s rocky landscape.
And it doesn’t rely solely on public macro data, much of which was unavailable during the U.S. government shutdown last year.
For instance, his team has access to anonymized credit card data through retail banking division Chase, which provides deep insight into consumer behaviour and the health of the overall U.S. economy.
“It’s about creating durable portfolios that can manage through these bouts of volatility,” Hussain, who is based in New York, said in an interview.
“But then also volatility creates opportunity.”
Among the areas JPMorgan has seen good opportunities has been in emerging markets.
He added corporate margins and balance sheets are looking healthy these days and it’s a good time to look at fixed income.
“Now is the time to embrace yields in your portfolios. If rates stay higher for longer it’s not a bad thing for investors,” he said. “You can lock in a pretty healthy yield without taking on a lot of risks.”
Hussain expects one or two more rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve ahead, regardless of any change in leadership.
JPMorgan Chase is the biggest bank in the United States.
In Canada, it has 600 employees with a presence in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2026.
