Almost everything is going wrong for markets right now

Stocks came into 2026 riding AI momentum, a more stable trade environment, and hopes for lower interest rates. The S&P 500 hit a record high in late January. With two trading days left in the first quarter, the situation looks significantly more challenging. The stock market looks broken, and it's far from clear as to how to fix it. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) is down over 7% for the year. The Nasdaq (^IXIC) is in correction territory. The VIX (^VIX)— known as Wall Street's "fear index" — is trading at its hi ...