Is the relationship between risk and return broken?

After more than a decade where US technology stocks dominated global markets, late 2025 and early 2026 saw signs of a rotation. Less glamorous sectors like industrials and consumer staples, companies often considered ‘boring’ began to outperform the high-flying tech names that had captured investors’ attention for years. We revisit the work of Bob Haugen, a pioneering quantitative investor and academic who spent much of his career challenging a core assumption in finance: that higher risk should lead to higher returns. Haugen argued the opposite - that lower-volatility stocks often outperform higher-volatility stocks over time. You can find the full article here. Would you like more free insights from Mark, Shani and the rest of the Morningstar team? You can find them here. A message from Mark and Shani For the past five years, we’ve released a weekly podcast to arm you with the tools to invest successfully. We’ve always strived to provide independent, thoughtful analysis, backed by the work of hundreds of researchers and professionals at Morningstar. We’ve shared our journeys with you, and you’ve shared back. We’ve listened to what you’re after and created a companion for your investing journey. Invest Your Way is a book that focuses on the investor, instead of the investments. It is a guide to successful investing, with actionable insights and practical applications. The book is now available! It is also available in Audiobook format from most sellers. Purchase from Amazon or Purchase from Booktopia To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Is the relationship between risk and return broken? is an episode from Investing Compass by Morningstar Australia.

This episode is 13:42 long.

This episode was published on May 2, 2026.

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