Despite plenty of curveballs thrown at investors this year, the S&P 500 is higher by 11.5%. All things considered, that’s pretty good. Even if the index doesn’t do anything for the remainder of 2026, a gain of 11.5% would be slightly above the long-term average annual increase of 10%.
Still, with 2027 right around the corner, bear market fears are percolating. Maybe it’s just a case of investors being nervous or prudent following an impressive multi-year stretch for equities. On the other hand, bear market fears aren’t entirely unfounded at a time when the U.S. government is cruising toward a divided leadership come January, the war in Iran hasn’t been resolved, and inflation is still too hot for comfort, among other factors.
Missed AI’s “Act 1”? Act 2 Could Be 16x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn’t buy Nvidia in 2005….
