Research
Weekly Market Commentary | Stock Market’s Wall of Worry Gets Taller | September 28, 2026
Printer Friendly Version Stocks continue to climb a wall of worry, a wall that has gotten a bit taller as fall begins. The conflict in the Middle East, higher interest rates, and questions surrounding the enormous artificial intelligence (AI) capital spending boom all present legitimate risks for investors. While each of these challenges could generate…
Weekly Market Commentary | What’s Holding Up Record S&P 500 Margins? | September 21, 2026
LPL Research analyzes S&P 500 margin expansion, assessing how much is structural versus cyclical and what that means for future earnings forecasts.
Weekly Market Commentary | What History Teaches Us About Fed Hikes & Stocks | September 14, 2026
Printer Friendly Version A hot CPI print. Friday’s slightly hot Consumer Price Index (CPI) report lifted the bond market’s odds of a rate hike from the Federal Reserve (Fed) this week to near 90%. Markets take it in stride. The positive reactions from stocks and bonds were interesting, suggesting that perhaps market participants have been…
Outlook
LPL Research Midyear Outlook 2026: Thoughts on the Second Half
Navigate markets with LPL Research’s 2026 Midyear Outlook, with insights on stocks, bonds, the economy, and more. Explore what to expect over the second half of 2026.
2026 Outlook: The Policy Engine
In 2026, we observed a market environment where fiscal and monetary policy decisions, rather than traditional business fundamentals, were the primary drivers of market direction. This shift means that policy influence and market momentum have become significantly more impactful in shaping market trends, often overshadowing underlying economic performance…
Midyear Outlook 2025: Pragmatic Optimism, Measured Expectations
We started 2025 on a high note, although we acknowledged that “no market environment is ever permanent, and that change is always potentially around the corner.” Well change did come, and with it, volatility, perhaps in part because we assumed President Trump’s policies would simply mirror those of his prior term. The impact of policy…
Weekly Market Insights
Weekly Market Insights | Nasdaq Record, Jobs Report Face Off in Mixed Week
Stocks ended last week mixed as a tug-of-war between strong economic data, cooler job growth, and decades-high Treasury yields played out. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index edged down 0.27 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.45 percent. The Dow Jones...
Weekly Market Insights | Stocks Advance; Investors’ Attention on What’s Next.
Stocks advanced last week as the broad market looked past inflationary pressures and focused on falling oil prices, declining bond yields, and ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.22 percent, while the Nasdaq...
Weekly Market Insights | Fed Ups Rates; Investors Ponder AI, Oil
Stocks ended last week mixed as investors navigated the Fed’s rate decision, Treasury yields, oil prices, and the volatile AI trade. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.09 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.72 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial...