US stocks nudged slightly lower Wednesday morning as Wall Street waited for the Federal Reserve’s final policy decision of the year. The relatively muted action follows several sessions of sideways trading as investors hold off on big bets ahead of the ...

Live Updates Get The Best Vanguard S&P 500 ETF Live Earnings Coverage Like This Every Quarter Get earnings reminders, our top analysis on Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, market updates, and brand-new stock recommendations delivered directly to your inbox.

Wall Street forecasters expect the stock market to grind higher in 2026 as earnings grow, the Fed cuts rates, and the US avoids a recession.

Follow along for live updates on the Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq and other markets.

Just a few weeks ago, the stock market stumbled over fears that artificial intelligence stocks might be in a bubble. Now stocks are back within reach of a record high.

Wall Street’s sentiment toward companies associated with artificial intelligence is shifting, and it’s all about two companies: OpenAI is down, and Alphabet Inc. is up.

Stocks ended lower on Monday as investors waited to hear from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday.

The S&P 500 will have a so-so year. As of Dec. 8, the S&P 500 is up by about 16% for the year. This is certainly lower than the 26% and 25% gains we saw in 2023 and 2024, respectively, but is still better than the historical average.

From jobs to housing to grocery prices, the U.S. economy has been weakening for months. But the stock market is telling a different story.

The S&P 493 has a lot of catching up to do, and 2026 could be key turning point.

With the above being said, three catalysts stand out as viable sparks to kick-start a stock market crash in 2026. Arguably, the elephant in the room for 2026 is the historical priciness of the stock market.