Wall Street Says the Stock Market's Return in 2026 Will Crush the 30-Year Average

About 5,500 companies were listed across U.S. stock exchanges last year, according to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). Many of those companies are included in stock indexes, which measure various aspects of the domestic market. While hundreds of indexes exist, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is synonymous with the U.S. stock market due to its scope. Here's how the S&P 500 performed during the last 30 years and what Wall Street expects in the remaining months of 2026. Will A ...