As summer winds down and September begins, investors are navigating a market shaped by strong corporate profits, debates about the promise of artificial intelligence (AI), evolving monetary policy expectations, and ongoing geopolitical conflicts. While volatility has increased at times, the backdrop for investors remains fundamentally well supported.
The second half of 2026 began with investors facing no shortage of uncertainty, from the Iran conflict and higher oil prices to ongoing questions surrounding potential payoffs from massive artificial intelligence (AI) investment. Despite these challenges, the S&P 500 entered August near all-time highs, and prospects for further gains remain favorable based on a resilient economy and solid corporate fundamentals.
As the weather heated up last month, the stock market cooled a bit, and investors took profits on some of their technology winners. Market watchers...
Equity markets have continued their advance in recent weeks, with the S&P 500 near a record high following a rare nine-week winning streak on strong AI-driven earnings and prospects for an Iran agreement.
Some of you may be surprised by the stock market’s recent strength, particularly with oil prices over $100 a barrel. To us, the amount of artificial intelligence (AI) investment is even more surprising. But that’s not all there is to this story.
As the Iran conflict enters its second month, geopolitical stress continues to test investors. Historical stock market performance during geopolitical conflicts helps remind us that stocks are far more resilient than the moment may suggest.