Standard Chartered Bank expects emerging markets, including Nigeria, to benefit from a projected weakening of the US dollar in the second half of 2026. Manpreet Gill, Chief Investment Officer for Africa, Middle East, and Europe, notes that as inflation moderates and monetary conditions normalize, the US dollar’s recent rally—fueled by geopolitical uncertainty and high-interest rate expectations—is expected to fade. This shift is anticipated to reduce pressure on the naira, lower imported inflation, and improve investor appetite for emerging market assets. Despite global volatility, the bank maintains a constructive outlook, favoring global equities, African Eurobonds, and gold for portfolio resilience.