For much of the last seven years, the bulls have been in firm control on Wall Street. The iconic S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has gained at least 16% in all but one year since 2019. Meanwhile, the ageless Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) just eclipsed 50,000 for the first time in its nearly 130-year history, and the technology-driven Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) has consistently delivered outsize returns. There has been no shortage of catalysts fueling this upside, including the evolu ...

Stocks Are Mounting a ComebackCONCLUDED[Stock Market News From Feb. 13, 2026: Dow Ticks Higher After Key Inflation Data]Last Updated:---Updated 2 hours ago# Stocks Are Mounting a ComebackBy[Connor Smith]The stock market showed some signs of life as Friday's session rolled on.The S&P 500 was up 0.5% after falling flat shortly after the open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which fell 300 points earlier in the morning, was up 152 points, or 0.3%.The Nasdaq Composite was up 0.4% after struggling to hold onto ...

The markets are witnessing another day of bloodbath as precious metals, leading U.S. market benchmarks, and cryptocurrencies crashed on Feb. 12. Gold's price fell 2.77% today to drop below $4,900 per ounce. The precious metal had surpassed the price mark of $5,500 per oz a few weeks ago to hit a new all-time high (ATH). Silver crashed worse, dropping more than 9% today to trade around $75 per oz. The metal had also surpassed the price mark of $100 per oz a few weeks ago to hit a new ATH. Related: Coinba ...

Core Viewpoint - Geopolitical factors are hindering the S&P 500's performance, while the Russell 2000 index of smaller-cap companies is experiencing significant gains [1] Group 1: Russell 2000 Performance - The Russell 2000 marked its 7th record close of the new year on Wednesday [1] - The index achieved its best one-day gain on both a point and percentage basis since late November [1] - Since the beginning of the year, the Russell 2000 has outperformed the Nasdaq Composite by nearly 3% [1]

Core Viewpoint - The market has achieved significant milestones, with the S&P 500 recording 52 all-time high closes since the election on November 6, 2024, and the Nasdaq Composite achieving 46 record closes [1] Performance Summary - Since January 20, 2025, the last inauguration day, all three major indexes have shown notable performance, reflecting a bullish market trend [1]

Economic Context - The U.S. deficit decreased by 15% year-over-year in 2025 but is projected to increase again due to President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act [1] - The Federal Reserve implemented three rate cuts in 2025, contrasting with the rate hikes in 1999 when the government had a budget surplus [1] Market Sentiment - Investor sentiment is reminiscent of the late 1990s, with expectations of a significant market run-up driven by central bank policies and government spending [2] - Late-cycle rallies are noted for delivering substantial gains, with the greatest price appreciation typically occurring in the 12 months before market peaks [2] Asset Performance - Gold has shown a remarkable return of approximately 71% over the past 12 months, reaching a high spot price of about $4,756 per ounce [6][8] - Bitcoin, described as "digital gold," has experienced a powerful rally, with its supply capped at 21 million coins, contributing to its appeal as a scarce asset [12] Investment Strategies - A diversified investment approach is recommended, including traditional assets like gold and cryptocurrencies, as well as exposure to tech stocks, particularly in the Nasdaq [5][15] - The Nasdaq Composite has surged roughly 52% since its low in April, driven by significant investments in artificial intelligence [15][16] Alternative Assets - Art is highlighted as an alternative asset with low correlation to the stock market, offering unique opportunities for portfolio diversification [20] - Platforms like Masterworks allow investors to buy fractional shares in high-value artworks, yielding notable returns [21]

Core Viewpoint - The Nasdaq Composite has shown strong performance, returning at least 20% for three consecutive years, with a notable increase of 43.4% in 2023, 28.6% in 2024, and 20.3% in 2025, indicating potential for continued growth into 2026 as the current bull market progresses [2]. Historical Performance - The Nasdaq Composite reached a peak of 20,173 on December 16, 2024, before entering bear market territory, closing over 24% below its record high on April 8, 2025. This low point marked the beginning of a new bull market, the seventh since 1990 [4]. - The Nasdaq has increased by 54% since the current bull market began in April 2025, and historical trends suggest further gains are likely before the bull market concludes [6]. Bull Market Characteristics - A bull market is defined as starting when a bear market reaches its lowest point, requiring a 20% increase from that low and a new record high to be confirmed [5]. - The Nasdaq Composite has historically returned an average of 71% in the first year and 17% in the second year of a bull market, with an average return of 281% across the last six bull markets over approximately five years [9][10]. Investment Opportunities - Investors can gain exposure to the Nasdaq Composite through index funds such as the Fidelity Nasdaq Composite ETF or the Invesco QQQ ETF [8].

Group 1 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 reached new record highs, with the Dow increasing by 238 points, or 0.5%, and the S&P rising by 0.7% [1] - The Nasdaq Composite also gained 0.8%, although it remains significantly below its all-time high levels [1] Group 2 - The Russell 2000 index, which tracks smaller market capitalization stocks, rose by 0.8% on Friday, indicating a shift in investor focus away from popular tech stocks [2] - This performance suggests that investors are diversifying their investments beyond the major tech stocks [2]

Core Insights - The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq Composite are key stock market indexes that measure the performance of the U.S. stock market, typically moving in tandem but with varying degrees of gains or losses depending on market conditions and economic state [1] Group 1: Index Characteristics - The S&P 500 uses market capitalization for weighting, includes approximately 500 of the largest U.S. stocks across 11 sectors, providing a broad market performance view [2] - The Nasdaq also employs market cap weighting but consists of over 3,000 stocks, heavily focused on the technology sector, making it a benchmark for tech and growth companies [2] - The Dow is a smaller index with 30 established "blue-chip" stocks, using stock prices for weighting, resulting in a more conservative representation of the market [2] Group 2: Performance Analysis - As of December 2025, the S&P 500 decreased by 0.1%, the Dow increased by 0.7%, and the Nasdaq decreased by 0.5% compared to November [3] - When adjusted for inflation, the real month-over-month changes were 0.4% for the S&P 500, 1.2% for the Dow, and -0.1% for the Nasdaq [4] - Over the last decade, each index has shown significant growth in real terms: S&P 500 up 138%, Dow up 118%, and Nasdaq up 144% [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses historical correlations between U.S. presidential terms and S&P 500 returns, suggesting that the stock market may experience significant gains during the sixth year of a two-term presidency, particularly under Donald Trump [2][4][7]. Group 1: Historical Performance of S&P 500 - Since 1950, the S&P 500 has shown average returns of 3.4%, 6.9%, 22.2%, 10.5%, and 15.5% during the first to fifth years of a two-term president's tenure [1]. - The average annual return of the S&P 500 during the sixth year of a two-term presidency over the last 75 years is 20.9% [7]. - In 2025, the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite gained 13%, 16%, and 20% respectively, continuing the upward trend from Trump's first term [5]. Group 2: Factors Influencing Future Performance - A more aggressive rate-easing cycle by the Federal Reserve could lead to increased borrowing and investor willingness to accept higher valuations, potentially supporting continued market gains [7]. - The ongoing AI revolution, characterized by strong demand for AI infrastructure and enterprise adoption, may further fuel the S&P 500's bull market [8]. Group 3: Market Valuation Concerns - The Shiller Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio, which averaged 17.3 since 1871, reached 40.23 by the end of 2025, indicating the second priciest stock market in 155 years [12]. - Historical data shows that Shiller P/E readings above 30 are unsustainable, often leading to declines in major indexes ranging from 20% to 89% [13]. Group 4: Potential Risks to Market Trends - The article highlights the risk of a potential AI bubble bursting, which could undermine the current bull market [14]. - Trump's tariff and trade policies have shown a negative impact on labor productivity, employment, sales, and profits for affected companies, which could pose challenges in the upcoming year [16].