This year, markets have been ruled by hot inflation, with investors flocking to stocks that benefit from rising prices. "The surge in inflation has been a dominant—if not the dominant—financial market theme of 2022," said Wells Fargo in a note, noting that global consumer inflation accelerated to multi-decade highs. "Globally, we see inflation peaking in 4Q this year, with disinflation driving the narrative next year," said Morgan Stanley in its 2023 Global Economics Outlook report. Wells Fargo expects global consumer price index inflation to "slow meaningfully" to 5.2% in 2023 from a projected 7.2% this year. But Europe, including the U.K., could be the exception — the bank expects that the effects of rapid inflation and rising rates there will "linger for some time."

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