US Market Outlook 2026 | Bull Market Momentum & AI Spending Surge
If 2025 taught us anything, it’s this: markets don’t need perfect conditions to move — they need momentum. And according to Carson Investment Research’s latest outlook, the US market looks like it still has plenty of it.
📊 The triple tailwind
Fiscal stimulus from new tax legislation, continued Fed rate cuts, and an unprecedented AI spending boom are all pushing in the same direction. Big tech companies alone are expected to pour $515 billion into AI infrastructure in 2026 — that’s nearly 1.6% of US GDP flowing into a single technology wave.
🐂 This bull is younger than it looks
Here’s something the pessimists keep missing: the average bull market since WWII lasts over five years. We’re just over three years in. And historically, the fourth year of a bull market tends to be among the strongest performers.
💰 Earnings keep climbing
Corporate America isn’t slowing down. Analysts expect S&P 500 earnings to grow around 14% in 2026, with profit margins sitting at their highest levels this cycle. When companies keep making money, markets tend to follow.
⚡ The skeptics fuel the rally
One of the most interesting signals? Investor sentiment remains unusually cautious. As the old saying goes, bull markets climb a wall of worry — and there’s plenty of worry to climb right now.
Of course, volatility is part of the journey. Midterm years historically see larger pullbacks, so staying prepared matters. But for those watching the bigger picture, the setup heading into 2026 looks worth paying attention to.
