Equity Outlook for 2026

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Featuring Sam Stovall, Chief Investment Strategist, CFRA

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Hosted jointly by:

NYC, Austin, Cleveland, and Houston

 

Date & Time:

Wednesday, January 14 | 5:30 PM CT

 

Format: Live Webinar

Cost: Free for all AAII members and guests (registration required)

 

👉 Register Here

 

 

 

Event Overview

 

 

The S&P 500 is on pace to record a rare “three-peat”—three consecutive years of double-digit gains.

But can the market pull off a “four-peat” in 2026?

 

While CFRA believes the bull market will remain intact through year-end, expectations are tempered by:

 

• Still-high equity valuations

• An elevated Buffett Indicator

• A softening jobs market

• Mid-term election year uncertainty

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At the same time, several powerful tailwinds remain:

 

• The fourth year of the current bull market

• The second year of a Federal Reserve rate-easing cycle

• Double-digit earnings growth expectations for both 2026 and 2027

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Join Sam Stovall, CFRA’s Chief Investment Strategist and long-time friend of AAII, as he breaks down the risks, opportunities, and strategic implications for investors heading into 2026.

 

 

 

What You Will Learn

 

 

 

📈 Stock Returns During the Second Year of a Fed Rate-Easing Cycle

 

Learn how the S&P 500 and its sectors have historically performed during the second 12 months of Federal Reserve rate cuts.

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⚠️ Indicators Pointing to a More Volatile 2026

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Mid-term election years have historically been volatile, with an average 18% drawdown since WWII, especially during political “Wave” years—when the Presidency and both houses of Congress are controlled by the same party.

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💡 Investment Strategies That Work

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Discover whether history favors:

 

• Letting winners ride, or

• Buying last year’s losers (buy low / sell high)

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About the Speaker: Sam Stovall

 

 

Sam Stovall, CFP®

Chief Investment Strategist, CFRA

 

Sam Stovall serves as analyst, publisher, and communicator of CFRA’s outlooks for the economy, markets, and sectors. He is the author of The Seven Rules of Wall Street and writes the weekly Sector Watch and Investment Policy reports on CFRA’s MarketScope Advisor platform. He also maintains CFRA’s Industry Momentum and Seasonal Rotation portfolios.

 

Previously, Sam spent more than 27 years at S&P Global as Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist and served as Editor-in-Chief at Argus Research. His work is featured in CFRA’s flagship weekly newsletter, The Outlook.

 

Education:

 

• M.B.A. in Finance – New York University

• B.A. in History/Education – Muhlenberg College