Elections, rates, AI and China

The National Party Congress will leave the Chinese President more powerful than ever before. What does this mean for China – and the world?

Our cover story focuses on the revolutionary area of artificial intelligence which, depending on your perspective, will transform humankind for the better or lead to a dystopian future where machines control the planet. Technology features prominently elsewhere in this issue, as we look at Big Data and 3D printing. We also consider a world without central bank support and the future of asset management.

Emmanuel Macron’s election as French president has raised hopes that the European project is set to be given renewed impetus. This could mark a sea change for financial markets, writes Ahmed Behdenna.

As the US, Russia and China reposition themselves on the world stage, Cold War-style spheres of influence are coming to define the new global order.

Europe has led the drive to generate electricity from renewable sources, a trend that is gathering pace around the world and will create a wide array of opportunities for investors.

New technologies are set to revolutionise the autos industry and the transport sector, and in the process become one of the key investment themes over the coming years.

As sovereign wealth funds shift their vast portfolios into new asset classes, such as real estate, infrastructure and private debt, perceptions of these investment behemoths are beginning to change.