Market Outlook - Morgan Stanley initially targeted 6,500 for the S&P 500 this year, slightly below the median of 6,600 [1] - The call for 2026 is a continuation of this year's outlook, expecting to end up a little above target [2] - The firm maintained its targets, anticipating a tough first half followed by a strong second half due to administration policies [3] - The market is expected to see more positive effects from fiscal policy in 2026, supported by the Federal Reserve's "run-in hot strategy" [4] Economic Strategy - The "run hot" strategy, aimed at growing out of debt and deficit issues, involves higher growth and inflation, requiring Fed tolerance [6] - Inflation is expected to accelerate again, benefiting earnings growth if the Fed remains supportive, similar to the situation in 2021 [7] - The economy is transitioning from a rolling recession that bottomed in April to an accelerating phase with both real growth and inflation [10] Sector Preferences - Favored sectors include consumer discretionary, financials, small caps, some healthcare, and software over semiconductors [8] - Consumer discretionary is expected to perform well due to pricing power in an inflationary environment [8] Consumer Impact - Consumers can tolerate higher inflation with rising wages, which is part of the policy plan, including restricting immigration to boost real wage growth [11] - A three-year recession in consumer goods with low volume growth is now changing, driven by policy changes and pent-up demand [11][12]