The S&P 500 has barely budged since late October. Yet beneath the surface of the U.S. equity market, big shifts have been taking place.

Corporate profits and falling interest rates may be enough to lift the S&P 500 to a fourth-straight year of gains, the longest such streak in nearly two decades.

As measured by the S&P 500 index (which represents about 80% of total U.S. market capitalization), the market rose 24% in 2023, an equally impressive 23% in 2024, and another 17% year to date in 2025. Keep in mind that the average annual return for the S&P 500 is approximately 10.5%, so those three years have been exceptional for investors.

After three years of unusually high stock market gains, Wall Street equity analysts entered 2026 with record bullishness and no “sell” recommendations. Read more here.

Here's what investors can expect from the stock market and Wall Street's premier growth trends in the new year.

A handful of the most prescient investing pros detail their recommendations for 2026.

Over 700 key calls on how AI spending and government policies are set to fuel growth, inflation may prove hard to beat, private assets will continue their rise and the dollar will extend its decline.

Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK.B 0.21%) has more cash than the market caps of many large, well-known companies. With an estimated cash pile pushing $400 billion, the conglomerate run by the retiring Warren Buffett is hoarding a safe haven asset in U.S. Treasuries while the rest of the investing world chases the artificial intelligence ( AI) trade.

Discover the life and trading legacy of Jesse L. Livermore, a pioneering stock trader whose strategies influenced generations. Learn about his remarkable journey on Wall Street.

MSTR stock price has dropped nearly 66% over the past six months, falling from above $450 to the $150 region, a decline that mirrors both Bitcoin's