Ronald Ratcliffe, managing director and head strategist for portfolio analytics at BlackRock Aladdin, stated that traditional portfolio frameworks, developed during periods of stable inflation and declining rates, are no longer sufficient. He noted that while portfolios may appear diversified by asset class, they often share the same underlying macroeconomic risk drivers like inflation and interest rates, leading to concentration by risk factor. Ratcliffe emphasized that true diversification should focus on independent sources of risk and return, rather than just the number of asset classes held, especially as geopolitical tensions increasingly create episodes of macro volatility.