Not 'very hawkish at all': Wall Street optimistic on stock market rally in 2026 after Fed rate cut

Market Outlook - Wall Street is optimistic about the stock market heading into 2026, following record highs for the S&P 500 and Dow coinciding with a Federal Reserve interest rate cut [1] - The Fed's upward revision of GDP to 2.3% for 2026 is expected to lead to increased revenue, higher profit margins, and earnings growth, fueling bullish price targets [3] Analyst Predictions - Veteran strategist Ed Yardeni predicts the S&P 500 could reach 7,700, raising the probability of his "Roaring 2020s" scenario to 60% due to tax benefits and an AI-driven tech boom [4] - Oppenheimer has set a 2026 target for the S&P 500 at 8,100, attributing this to shifts in monetary and fiscal policy [4] - UBS strategists have a December 2026 target of 7,700, citing resilient economic growth, Fed rate cuts, and a boom in AI investment spending [5] Earnings Growth - Goldman Sachs analysts forecast S&P 500 earnings growth of over 12% in 2026, compared to a Street consensus of 14% [5] - The largest seven stocks in the index, including Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, account for about a quarter of the index's earnings, but Goldman expects broader participation in earnings growth [6] - Macro tailwinds from accelerating economic growth and a fading tariff drag on margins are anticipated to support an acceleration in earnings growth for the remaining stocks [6]