Gan Eng Chin

Author: Gan Eng Chin

  • My ASNB Ria Portfolio Returns – June 2026

    Following up on my May 2026 performance update, I am documenting the returns for my ASNB RIA portfolio for the month of June 2026. Consistent, hands-off tracking continues to serve as an effective feedback loop for assessing how the “Very Aggressive 1” asset structure performs across changing global macro conditions.

    June 2026 Performance Overview

    During June 2026, the portfolio demonstrated continued growth, supported by a significant top-up (RM 1,500.00) during the second half of the month. The total account value ended at RM 4,198.65, reflecting an absolute return of +RM 178.66 (4.26%).

    The overall account trajectory and the step-up in total capital deposited during June are shown below:

    While market swings are to be expected in a higher-risk profile, the strategy continues to align with long-term capital appreciation goals.

    Asset Allocation Breakdown

    The portfolio remains heavily weighted toward stock market exposure to capture growth equity risk premiums.

    The asset allocation as of late June stands as follows:

    • ASN Equity Global (52%): RM 2,174.78
    • ASN Equity Malaysia (35%): RM 1,469.50
    • ASN Sukuk (12%): RM 511.75
    • MYR Cash (1%): RM 42.62

    The overall structure maintains a strong stock market exposure (over 85% combined in Global and Malaysian equities), while the 13% allocation in fixed income (ASN Sukuk) and cash balances provides a small dampening effect on short-term market swings.

    Market Context: Mid-Year Global Realignment & De-escalation Trends

    Understanding how a heavily equity-exposed portfolio behaves requires looking at the broader macroeconomic backdrop that shaped June 2026.

    1. Geopolitical De-escalation & Energy Rebalancing

    Following the heightened tensions and market volatility earlier in the year surrounding the Middle East, June saw a shift toward diplomatic de-escalation. A diplomatic agreement reached mid-month helped ease concerns over maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, causing Brent Crude oil prices to pull back from earlier multi-month highs.

    The easing energy cost pressure provided temporary relief to global inflation fears, though major central banks—including the US Federal Reserve—maintained a cautious, hawkish stance to ensure underlying inflation trends remained grounded.

    2. Semiconductor Momentum vs. Large-Cap Rotation

    In global financial markets, June was characterized by a distinct divergence within the technology space:

    • Semiconductor Strength: Demand for advanced hardware and AI infrastructure sustained robust gains across semiconductor supply chain companies, continuing to benefit broad-based global tech funds like ASN Equity Global.
    • Market Broadening: Towards late June, broader equity indices experienced a slight rotation as investors took gains from mega-cap technology leaders and redirected capital into value-oriented and cyclical sectors.

    3. Malaysian Market Resilience

    Domestically, the ASN Equity Malaysia component was anchored by steady structural catalysts. Despite broader foreign capital rebalancing across ASEAN markets during mid-year, Malaysia’s ongoing data center infrastructure developments, renewable energy projects, and net-energy exporter positioning helped keep local equities resilient.

    Moving Forward

    As I continue to iterate on my personal finance workflows alongside my ongoing engineering and software side ventures, maintaining a disciplined investment routine remains key. Choosing to manually top up the account when I have spare capital allows me to systematically expand the portfolio base and take advantage of long-term compounding, regardless of short-term geopolitical volatility.

    Start Your ASNB RIA Journey

    If you want to automate your investments across global and local Shariah-compliant funds using ASNB’s Robo-Investment Advisor, you can check out my referral details below:

    👉 Get Started: Sign up or learn more using my ASNB RIA Referral Link.

  • My StashAway Portfolio Returns – June 2026

    Here is the monthly update on my StashAway portfolio performance for June 2026 (data recorded as of 1 July 2026).

    This month marks an exciting milestone for my StashAway investments—my BlackRock Very Aggressive portfolio has officially crossed the +100% Time-Weighted Return (TWR) mark!

    If you want to look back at how these portfolios performed previously, you can check out my May 2026 Update.

    Overall Performance Overview

    Here is the summary of my three StashAway portfolios as of 1 July 2026:

    • Total Portfolio Value: $48,007.69 USD
    • Total Net Deposits: $35,063.29 USD
    • Total Returns: +$12,944.40 USD

    All three portfolios continued their upward momentum through the end of Q2, adding to the gains from the strong recovery earlier in the quarter.

    Breakdown by Portfolio

    1. 2022-05 SRI 16%

    This is my lower-risk, balanced portfolio designed to act as a stabilizing anchor for my robo-advisory investments.

    • Current Value: $16,824.05 USD
    • Net Deposits: $13,279.73 USD
    • Total Return: +$3,544.32 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return (TWR): +40.58%

    The SRI 16% portfolio continued its steady, low-volatility growth trajectory, delivering reliable returns without experiencing major drawdowns.

    2. 2022-09 BR Very Aggressive (Powered by BlackRock)

    My high-growth thematic strategy managed by BlackRock achieved a key milestone this month.

    • Current Value: $15,918.98 USD
    • Net Deposits: $11,001.04 USD
    • Total Return: +$4,917.94 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return (TWR): +101.08%

    By hitting +101.08% TWR, this portfolio has officially doubled on a time-weighted basis since its launch in late 2022. It highlights the benefits of maintaining disciplined, automated dollar-cost averaging through varying market cycles.

    3. 2022-10 SRI 36%

    My highest-risk StashAway risk-index portfolio is right behind the BlackRock portfolio.

    • Current Value: $15,264.66 USD
    • Net Deposits: $10,782.52 USD
    • Total Return: +$4,482.14 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return (TWR): +97.71%

    Sitting just under 98% TWR, the SRI 36% portfolio continues to capitalise on broader global equity strength and is nearing its own 100% TWR milestone.

    Key Takeaways from the June 2026 Data

    1. A Major Milestone Achieved: Reaching +100% TWR on the BlackRock Very Aggressive portfolio is proof that patience and automated monthly deposits work over a multi-year time horizon.
    2. Q2 Market Tailwinds: June capped off a very strong second quarter overall. While mega-cap technology stocks took a brief breather after massive gains in April and May, strength broadened across semiconductor supply chains, AI infrastructure, and broader equity markets, keeping total returns elevated.
    3. Easing Macro Pressures: Lower energy prices and stabilizing inflation expectations following Middle East ceasefire developments helped support market sentiment through the close of the month.
    4. Consistency Over Timing: Total unrealized profits across all three portfolios now stand at +$12,944.40 USD on a cumulative deposit of $35,063.29 USD.

    Final Thoughts & Referral

    Entering the second half of 2026, my approach remains unchanged: stay disciplined, let the automated DCA strategy run in the background, and stay invested for the long run.

    If you are thinking of starting your own automated investment journey with StashAway, you can use my referral link below to get up to RM30,000 of your assets managed for free for 6 months:

    👉 Sign up for StashAway using my referral link

    Disclaimer: This post is for informational and personal tracking purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making any investment decisions.

  • WWDC26 Apple Developer Event in Kuala Lumpur

    Last Thursday, I attended my very first Apple Developer Event here in Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur. While much of the technical content mirrors what we can find online or catch during WWDC26, experiencing it live brought a completely different energy. Being able to ask questions and get direct, real-time insights from Apple representatives was an invaluable experience.

    But as with most tech gatherings, the absolute highlight for me was the human element—networking, reconnecting, and learning from fellow builders.

    A few highlights from the day:

    🔹 The Power of Long-Term Connections: I was thrilled to bump into Arthur Wong ( 黄智昇 ). We first met back in December 2023 at a WordPress meetup. It was amazing to catch up on his progress. I still remember brainstorming with him back then on his real estate platform and his Tai Chi online booking project, where I had recommended leveraging WooCommerce Booking extensions. Seeing how projects evolve over time is one of the most rewarding parts of staying connected.

    🔹 Serendipitous Community Reconnections: I was incredibly surprised to run into CheonFong Liew. As the main organizer for the WordPress KL meetups and a prominent figure in our local community, he was the last person I expected to see at an Apple event! It was an awesome surprise when he spotted me and called me out.

    🔹 Exchanging Fresh Insights: I had the pleasure of meeting Olivia Lim Yun Xuan. We ended up exchanging insights on university scholarships and career trajectories. Having been a university scholarship recipient myself, it was just really nice to share some of my own experiences and hopefully give her some helpful context.

    🔹 Tech & Bites: Over some light bites, I also connected with Shahrul Hisham Mohamad Subki for a quick chat, trading thoughts on the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and tools like Claude.

    Unfortunately, I had to slip out early and missed the final mixer event, but the conversations I did have reminded me why I love our local tech ecosystem. Tech evolves fast, but it’s the community, the shared knowledge, and the commitment to never stop learning that keeps us moving forward.

    If we connected at the event, let’s connect here on LinkedIn! 🥂

    (This was first posted in my LinkedIn profile.)

  • Claude AI Day

    Spent my Sunday 5th July morning catching up on the latest in AI at the Claude AI Day: Certified & Curious meetup at UOB Plaza, Kuala Lumpur! 🚀

    It was a packed session diving deep into the Claude ecosystem, real-world implementations, and the roadmap for the Claude Certified Architect program. As a developer, keeping up with the rapid evolution of these AI technologies is essential for building smarter, production-ready applications.

    A huge highlight of the morning was supporting my longtime friend, Ts. Tan Aik Keong (AK), CEO of Agmo Holdings Berhad. We’ve known each other since our Experian days (it’s been more than 10 years now, wow!), and it’s incredible to see him leading the charge for the AI community here in Malaysia to achieve an ambitious goal: 1000 Claude Certified Architects by end of 2026! 🇲🇾

    I was also glad to catch up with Daren Tan, CEO of ALPHV Technologies and founder of Developer Kaki. A big congratulations to Daren for winning the lightning pitch session! His presentation on building genetic testing DNA health reports powered by GenAI was incredibly insightful, and I really appreciate him taking the time to share some of his tech insights with me afterward.

    To top it all off, I managed to score 2nd place in the “How well do you know Claude?” Kahoot trivia challenge—missing the top spot by a mere 393 points! 🥈 Too bad there was only one prize for the winner. I’ll get you next time, Kegan! 😆

    Great insights, great networking, and a fantastic reminder of how vibrant our local tech ecosystem is becoming. Tech moves fast, but the goal remains simple: never stop learning, never stop doing. 💡

    (This post was first posted in my LinkedIn profile.)

  • My ASNB Ria Portfolio Returns – May 2026

    Following up on my previous analysis of my ASNB RIA investment, I am documenting the performance of my portfolio for the month of May 2026. Consistent tracking helps me assess how the portfolio asset allocation handles ongoing macro volatility and systemic global shifts.

    May 2026 Performance Overview

    Throughout May 2026, the portfolio demonstrated steady upward momentum despite a highly complex geopolitical backdrop. The total account value reached RM 2,157.05, reflecting a total return of +RM 157.10 (7.28%).

    While an aggressive portfolio remains vulnerable to sharp short-term market swings, the current trajectory matches the long-term capital appreciation objectives expected of a high-equity strategy.

    Asset Allocation Breakdown

    The portfolio remains heavily weighted toward global and local equities to capture aggressive equity risk premiums.

    The current distribution of funds stands as follows:

    • ASN Equity Global (53%): RM 1,139.94
    • ASN Equity Malaysia (34%): RM 742.55
    • ASN Sukuk (12%): RM 253.48
    • MYR Cash (1%): RM 21.08

    More than 85% of the capital is directly exposed to global and local stock markets. The remaining 13% allocated to fixed income (ASN Sukuk) and cash balances out the overall volatility, providing a minor buffer.

    Market Context: Navigating the 2026 Iran-US Conflict & The AI Surge

    Understanding the performance of a high-exposure equity portfolio requires looking at the global macroeconomic forces that shaped May 2026. This month was defined by two opposing forces: intense geopolitical shocks and an unprecedented technology-driven earnings boom.

    1. The Geopolitical Headwind: The Iran-US Conflict

    The ongoing Iran-US conflict and the resulting tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz remained a massive systemic threat to the global economy. With energy supply chains under pressure, Brent Crude experienced significant volatility throughout the month.

    The uncertainty in energy supply chains has triggered structural cost concerns—driving up global industrial commodity costs and forcing central banks to balance the need to combat energy-driven inflation while maintaining economic growth.

    Typically, a geopolitical conflict of this scale would induce a severe global market sell-off. However, the equity portion of the portfolio managed to remain resilient due to two countervailing buffers:

    • The AI and Semiconductor Mega-Theme: Global equity indices largely shrugged off the energy crisis, propelled by massive hyperscaler capex and robust Q1 2026 corporate earnings. Companies embedded in the AI hardware supply chain saw phenomenal gains, lifting the ASN Equity Global portion of the portfolio.
    • Malaysia’s Net-Exporter Resilience: Domestically, the FBM KLCI maintained steady structural support. As a net energy exporter, Malaysia’s economy partially benefited from the elevated commodity and crude oil prices. Furthermore, the local market has been insulated by significant domestic data center investments, pushing local construction and technology equities to multi-year highs.

    Moving Forward

    As I continue to iterate on my personal finance workflows alongside my ongoing engineering and software side ventures, maintaining a systematic investment routine remains key. Smaller, automated monthly deployments help smooth out the price actions brought on by the volatile geopolitical environment.

    Start Your ASNB RIA Journey

    If you want to automate your investments across global and local Shariah-compliant funds using ASNB’s Robo-Investment Advisor, you can check out my referral details below:

    👉 Get Started: Sign up or learn more using my ASNB RIA Referral Link.

  • My StashAway Portfolio Returns – May 2026

    Welcome back to my monthly update on my StashAway investment portfolios. In this post, I will share the performance breakdown for May 2026 across my three distinct StashAway portfolios, showing their trajectory over the last 3-month cycle (March 1 to May 31, 2026).

    If you want to look back at how these portfolios performed previously, you can check out my April 2026 Update.

    The equity markets continued their upward momentum through May, pushing two of my higher-risk portfolios close to or past the 100% time-weighted return milestone since inception.

    Here is exactly where things stand.

    Combined Portfolio Summary (May 2026)

    Looking at all three portfolios together, the total capital deployed and the current combined value are as follows:

    • Total Net Deposits: $33,948.43 USD
    • Total Current Value: $47,206.58 USD
    • Total Cumulative Returns: +$13,258.15 USD
    • Overall Simple Return: +39.05%

    Individual Portfolio Breakdown

    1. 2022-05 SRI 16% (Balanced Profile)

    This portfolio represents my oldest and most conservative allocation of the three. Because of its lower risk profile and exposure to fixed income, it moves with less volatility but still captured a healthy chunk of the market’s upside.

    • Current Value: $16,597.19 USD
    • Net Deposits: $12,908.11 USD
    • Total Returns: +$3,689.08 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return: +41.82%

    While it hasn’t seen the explosive doubling effects of the more aggressive models, a +41.82% TWR provides a very solid anchor for capital preservation while still yielding significant dollar returns ($3,689.08).

    2. 2022-09 BR Very Aggressive (Powered by BlackRock)

    This portfolio targets broad global equities using the BlackRock allocation model and continues to be the top performer in terms of percentage gains.

    • Current Value: $15,642.44 USD
    • Net Deposits: $10,629.42 USD
    • Total Returns: +$5,013.02 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return: +102.34%

    Over the last 3 months, the portfolio trended steadily upward from its March base ($12k–$13k range), pushing cleanly past the $15.6k mark by the end of May. Crossing the +100% TWR milestone emphasizes the strength of staying consistently invested since late 2022.

    3. 2022-10 SRI 36% (StashAway Risk Index)

    My highest-risk StashAway proprietary portfolio tracks very closely with the BlackRock model and is on the verge of doubling its original time-weighted performance.

    • Current Value: $14,966.95 USD
    • Net Deposits: $10,410.90 USD
    • Total Returns: +$4,556.05 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return: +98.71%

    The 3-month visual chart shows a mirror image of the global equity upswing, moving from a low point in early March to a strong closing peak at the end of May.

    Key Takeaways from the May 2026 Data

    Global markets had a wild and highly volatile ride over the last three months, and looking at the macroeconomic landscape explains exactly why my StashAway returns moved the way they did:

    1. The US-Iran Geopolitical Rollercoaster & Energy Sector Rotation

    The sharp plunge we saw at the beginning of the 3-month chart (early March 2026) was heavily driven by geopolitical shockwaves when the US launched military actions against Iran. This conflict triggered major fears of an inflationary wave due to rising crude costs and instability surrounding the critical Strait of Hormuz.

    However, May 2026 brought a significant shift. Optimism surrounding a potential US-Iran diplomatic agreement and an interim ceasefire caused Brent crude to slide roughly 19% in May—its steepest monthly decline since the pandemic. While energy stocks cooled off from their year-to-date highs, this drop in oil prices successfully eased broader market inflation anxieties. The reduction in war-driven inflation pressures allowed global bond yields to pull back toward the end of May, acting as a direct tailwind that stabilized and boosted my 2022-05 SRI 16% fixed-income/balanced portfolio.

    2. Tech and AI Momentum Offset the Global Volatility

    Despite the geopolitical unrest and a highly volatile rate backdrop, global equities advanced aggressively in May (with the MSCI World Index rising 4.6% in USD terms). This rally was almost entirely led by narrow, massive gains concentrated in technology and AI-related companies, fueled by relentless capital spending and corporate earnings growth.

    Because both my 2022-09 BlackRock Very Aggressive and 2022-10 SRI 36% portfolios heavily mirror global market benchmarks and maintain substantial allocations in broad tech-forward global equity ETFs, they capitalized beautifully on this tech surge. This structural exposure allowed them to completely shrug off the localized Middle East volatility and rocket upward to fresh highs (+102.34% and +98.71% TWR respectively).

    3. Currency and Dollar Strength

    The U.S. Dollar Index strengthened by another 0.9% in May, hovering near one-year highs as global investors favored safe-haven assets alongside U.S. large-caps. Because StashAway evaluates these specific portfolios using USD-denominated global assets, viewing my performance in USD has successfully isolated my returns from the structural fluctuations of the local Malaysian Ringgit (MYR), solidifying the real purchasing power of the gains.

    Start Your Own Investment Journey

    If you are looking to automate your investments, build long-term wealth, and take advantage of global equity markets without the stress of stock-picking, consider giving StashAway a try.

    You can use my StashAway Referral Link to sign up and get a discount on your management fees!

    How are your robo-advisor portfolios looking as we head into the middle of 2026? Let me know in the comments below!

    *Disclaimer: This post is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research before investing.*

  • Investing in ASNB Ria

    Last month, I attended Monie Fest 2026 and I found out about ASNB Ria. It is a robo advisor which is similar to StashAway, but in addition to global equities, it also comes with Malaysian equities and sukuk.

    I decided to give it a try, because why not? It comes with some sign-up deals. 🙂

    I invested RM 1000.00 in a Very Aggressive portfolio on April 12, and by the end of April, the value goes up to RM 1055.78, which is 5.28% return in less than one month.

    The Very Aggressive portfolio has the following asset breakdown:

    • ASN Equity Global: 52%
    • ASN Equity Malaysia: 35%
    • ASN Sukuk: 12%
    • MYR: 1%

    Since it has only 52% of global equities and 47% of Malaysian equities and sukuk, even though it is categorized as “Very Aggressive”, I actually think that it is rather safe (safer than very aggressive portfolios in StashAway).

    It is also a way for me to put my hope and place my bet on Malaysia, with regards to the recent headlines like Malaysia, China stand out as Asia’s most resilient economies, says JP Morgan.

    ASNB has recently published Ria Portfolio Performance – April 2026. The post contains market commentary that explains the strong recovery for the month.

    If you like to try out and invest in ASNB Ria, you can use my ASNB Ria referral code, HJDNWX. Start invest with just RM 100, and you’ll get extra RM 10 bonus to sweeten the deal.

  • My StashAway Portfolio Returns – April 2026

    Welcome back to another monthly update of my StashAway portfolios! It is time to look at how things wrapped up for April 2026.

    If you want to look back at how these portfolios performed previously, you can check out my March 2026 Update.

    As with my previous reviews, all figures are captured in USD and represent the overall performance metrics since inception up to 1 May 2026.

    2022-05 SRI 16%

    This is my oldest and most conservative StashAway portfolio, set up with a StashAway Risk Index (SRI) of 16%, with RM 500 recurring deposit every two weeks. It serves as a steadier base compared to the other two aggressive strategies.

    As of 1 May 2026:

    • Current Value: $16,049.79 USD
    • Net Deposits: $12,655.76 USD
    • Total Returns: +$3,394.03 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return: +39.30%

    Looking at the 3-month chart (February to April), this portfolio has displayed a stable upward trend line with a clear jump toward the end of April, helping it cross the $16k milestone comfortably.

    2022-09 BR Very Aggressive

    This portfolio is powered by BlackRock (BR) with Very Aggressive risk level. It was setup in September 2022 with RM 500 recurring deposit every two weeks, and has been delivering strong momentum.

    • Current Value: $14,519.40 USD
    • Net Deposits: $10,377.07 USD
    • Total Returns: +$4,142.33 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return: +91.01%

    The BlackRock portfolio continues to show impressive results. Its time-weighted return has now firmly cleared the +91% mark, showing rapid growth compared to its net deposits.

    2022-10 SRI 36%

    My highest-risk SRI portfolio (36% StashAway Risk Index), setup in October 2022 with RM 500 recurring deposit every two weeks. It captures global equity upsides aggressively.

    • Current Value: $14,101.67 USD
    • Net Deposits: $10,158.55 USD
    • Total Returns: +$3,943.12 USD
    • Time-Weighted Return: +90.54%

    This portfolio runs almost neck-and-neck with the BlackRock Very Aggressive portfolio in terms of pure returns, wrapping up April with an incredible +90.54% time-weighted return.

    Total Combined Performance Summary

    Combining the data from all three of my active StashAway portfolios gives us this total picture:

    • Total Current Value: $44,670.86 USD
    • Total Net Deposits: $33,191.38 USD
    • Total Cumulative Profits: +$11,479.48 USD

    April 2026 Market Observations

    Looking at the 3-month charts across all three portfolios, there is a clear and dramatic story of a market U-turn between March and April 2026.

    If you recall, March was a painful month for global markets. A sharp escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East had sent oil prices surging, which reignited inflation fears and caused global equities to tank. However, April brought a complete shift in market sentiment, driven by a few critical factors:

    • Geopolitical Relief & Stabilizing Oil Prices: Early in April, global markets breathed a sigh of relief following news of a fragile ceasefire and peace talks. This immediately pulled crude oil prices back down (with West Texas Intermediate dropping back below $100 a barrel). Lower oil prices instantly took the pressure off inflation expectations, causing Treasury yields to settle down and giving investors the green light to take on risk again.
    • A Blockbuster Q1 Earnings Season: April marked the kick-off of the Q1 corporate earnings season, and the results were phenomenal. Over 80% of S&P 500 companies beat Wall Street’s earnings expectations, led by massive profit beats from major financial institutions and global giants.
    • The Massive Return of the AI Tech Rally: The biggest driver for our aggressive portfolios was the massive rotation back into big tech and semiconductors. Driven by strong corporate earnings and massive capital expenditure commitments into AI data centers and infrastructure (including Nvidia’s announced $150 billion chipmaking expansion), tech-heavy benchmarks surged. The Nasdaq composite posted an incredible 15.3% gain for the month, and the MSCI World Index rallied 9.6% to hit a fresh, all-time record high.

    Because StashAway’s Very Aggressive and high-SRI portfolios are heavily exposed to these global growth and technology sectors, they captured the full force of this April rebound. Passing through the temporary dip in March allowed us to ride the wave straight into these new local peaks by May 1st. It is a textbook example of why staying invested beats trying to time the market!

    If you’re thinking of starting your own investment journey with StashAway, feel free to use my StashAway referral link. By signing up through this link, we both get to enjoy a management fee waiver for our portfolios.

  • My StashAway Portfolio Returns – March 2026

    Following up on the February update, it’s time to look at how the portfolios performed throughout a very turbulent March 2026. While the all-time returns still look impressive, this month was a clear “risk-off” period where we saw a noticeable dip in performance compared to the peaks of February.

    Here is the breakdown of the performance for the month ending March 31, 2026.

    Portfolio Summary (as of April 1, 2026)

    PortfolioNet Deposits (USD)Current Value (USD)Total Returns (USD)Time-Weighted Return
    2022-05 SRI 16%$12,405.14$15,294.89+$2,889.75+34.86%
    2022-09 BR Very Aggressive$10,126.45$12,835.45+$2,709.00+71.95%
    2022-10 SRI 36%$9,907.93$12,876.15+$2,968.22+77.22%

    Why Returns Dropped in March 2026

    If you’ve been following the news, you’ll know that March was a difficult month for global markets. After a strong start to the year, several major factors converged to pull down equity prices and stall the growth we saw in February.

    1. Geopolitical Shock: The 2026 Iran Crisis

    The primary driver for the market decline was the sudden and sharp escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Following “Operation Epic Fury” at the very end of February, the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery for global energy—became a major flashpoint. With shipping traffic effectively halted, global oil supply was immediately threatened.

    2. The Energy-Inflation Trap

    As a result of the disruption in the Strait, crude oil prices surged by over 40% during the month. This energy shock reignited fears of stagflation (high inflation combined with slow growth). For my equity-heavy portfolios, this was difficult news; higher energy costs act as a “tax” on corporate profits and consumer spending alike.

    3. Tech and Growth Stocks in “Correction”

    The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 both saw significant volatility this month. Growth and Tech stocks—which make up a large portion of the SRI 36% and the BlackRock Very Aggressive portfolios—were hit the hardest. Investors pulled money out of high-risk assets and moved into safe havens like the US Dollar and Gold.

    4. The Federal Reserve’s Pause

    Given the new wave of inflation triggered by the oil spike, the Federal Reserve opted to keep interest rates steady at 3.5%–3.75% during their March meeting. The market had previously been hoping for rate cuts, but the Fed’s cautious stance signaled that “higher-for-longer” interest rates are back on the table, further impacting stock valuations.

    Portfolio Performance Deep Dive

    2022-05 SRI 16%

    This portfolio was my most resilient. Because it has a higher allocation to protective assets like bonds and gold, it managed to cushion the blow from the stock market slide. Its current value stands at $15,294.89.

    2022-09 BR Very Aggressive

    This investing portfolio powered by BlackRock, which is heavily skewed toward growth and global equities, also tracked the broader market decline, ending the month at $12,835.45 with a time-weighted return of +71.95%.

    2022-10 SRI 36%

    As a high-risk portfolio, this one felt the full weight of the tech sell-off. While the +77.22% all-time return is still fantastic, it is down from its February highs. It currently sits at $12,876.15.

    Final Thoughts

    March 2026 served as a stark reminder of how quickly geopolitical events can shift market sentiment. While it’s never fun to see the green numbers dip, this is exactly why we stay diversified. The core strategy remains unchanged: ignore the short-term “sawtooth” volatility and focus on the long-term trend.

    If you’re thinking of starting your own investment journey with StashAway, feel free to use my referral link: https://ecgan.com/referrals/stashaway/. By signing up through this link, we both get to enjoy a management fee waiver for our portfolios!

  • My StashAway Portfolio Returns – February 2026

    Welcome back to my monthly portfolio update. It’s March 2026 now, and after a solid start to the year in January, February has kept the momentum going—albeit with a bit more “character” in the market swings.

    As a reminder, I have several portfolios within StashAway, but I’ve chosen to share these specific three with you because they are my oldest accounts. They provide the longest “track record” of how StashAway’s algorithms and BlackRock’s strategies handle different market cycles over the years.

    Here is the breakdown of how these three portfolios performed through February 2026.

    Portfolio Summary (as of 1 March 2026)

    PortfolioNet Deposits (USD)Current Value (USD)Total Returns (USD)Time-Weighted Return (TWR)
    General – SRI 16% (May 2022)$12,151.96$15,947.31+$3,795.35+42.95%
    BlackRock – Very Aggressive (Sept 2022)$9,873.27$13,630.65+$3,757.38+86.17%
    General – SRI 36% (Oct 2022)$9,654.75$13,577.17+$3,922.42+90.55%

    February Analysis: Trends & Insights

    Stability in the 2022-05 SRI 16%

    The 2022-05 SRI 16% portfolio is the “grandfather” of the group, started back in May 2022. While its 42.95% return looks lower compared to the more aggressive portfolios, it has the highest value of the three ($15,947.31). This portfolio is designed for lower volatility, and in a month like February—where we saw some intra-month dips—it stayed remarkably steady, providing a psychological cushion when the aggressive charts started looking like a roller coaster.

    The BlackRock Aggressive Edge

    My 2022-09 BR Very Aggressive portfolio is trailing the SRI 36% only by a hair, sitting at 86.17%. In February, we saw some tech-heavy volatility, but the diversification within the BlackRock model helped it recover quickly toward the end of the month. It’s fascinating to see how this 100% equity model tracks against the SRI 36%—they often dance together, but the SRI 36% currently holds a slight lead in efficiency.

    SRI 36% Sprints Past the 90% Mark

    The 2022-10 SRI 36% portfolio continues to be the star performer in terms of percentage gains. This month, it officially crossed the 90% TWR threshold. Since its inception in late 2022, it has effectively doubled the “paper” value of the initial strategy. This portfolio’s high exposure to growth equities benefited significantly from the market’s resilience in the face of fluctuating interest rate expectations this month.

    Comparison to January 2026

    Compared to January, February felt a bit more “top-heavy.” While January was a smooth ride up, February tested our patience with a few red days in the middle of the month before finishing strong.

    • Total Value Growth: Across these three portfolios, the total value has increased as they continue to capture the long-term upward trend of the global markets.
    • Volatility: The gap between the “high-risk” (SRI 36% / BlackRock) and “balanced” (SRI 16%) widened slightly this month, showing that risk is being rewarded in the current environment.

    A Word for Fellow Investors

    If you’re looking at these numbers and wondering if you “missed the boat” because the markets are at all-time highs, remember this:

    “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.” — Warren Buffett

    It’s easy to celebrate when the TWR is at 90%, but these portfolios lived through the gloom of 2022 and the uncertainty of 2023. The secret isn’t being a genius; it’s simply not leaving. Whether you are starting with a small amount or managed a large sum, the goal is the same: stay consistent, keep your eye on the 5–10 year horizon, and let the math do the heavy lifting.

    If you haven’t started yet, don’t wait for the “perfect” dip—it might never come. If you’re ready to get some skin in the game and want to support this blog, you can use my StashAway referral link to get started: https://ecgan.com/referrals/stashaway/

    Keep growing!