Week Ahead: Markets Enter 2026 Near Record Highs With Key Tests Lined Up

Key Highlights: Stock futures were flat to slightly higher Sunday evening in a New Year's holiday-shortened week, after Trump and Zelensky held "productive†talks on a Russia-Ukraine peace plan. Last week, US stocks hovered near record highs in thin holiday trade, with the S&P 500 ending little changed and the Nasdaq 100 slipping 0.1% as materials and tech outperformed while consumer discretionary and energy lagged. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) gained on an AI licensing deal, and precious metals surged to fresh reco ...