Wall Street banks expect US stocks to post another year of double-digit gains in 2026, defying recent investor jitters over Big Tech companies’ huge spending plans and a potential bubble in the artificial intelligence sector.

Behind the screens, finance pros sharpen their edge through games and puzzles that test intuition, discipline and strategic thinking.

The U.S. stock market rose to the edge of its all-time high. The S&P 500 added 0.2% Friday and finished just shy of its record closing level, which was set in October.

Wall Street's major averages ended mixed on Thursday, as investors assessed Meta Platforms' (META) rise after Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly cutting Metaverse spending, and jobless claims came lower than expected.

China has won back global funds in a banner year for stocks, with investors anticipating further gains on the country’s AI prowess and resilience amid US tensions.

The U.S. stock market held near its records in a quiet day of trading

SA analyst James Foord echoed: “2026 is poised for a rare alignment of policy, liquidity, and sentiment, supporting a bullish outlook for equities and risk assets,” in 2026: A Rare Alignment Of Policy, Liquidity, And AI.

Wall Street is not a regular presence at the Reagan National Defense Forum, the annual conclave for Pentagon leaders, U.S. lawmakers and industry executives.

U.S. stocks rose near their record levels

South Bow Corporation (NYSE:SOBO) is one of the Best Up and Coming Canadian Stocks to Buy. Wall Street has a cautious outlook on South Bow Corporation (NYSE:SOBO) since the company posted mixed results for fiscal Q3 2025 on November 13.

Netflix is calling its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery a transformational deal that will accelerate its growth, but the streaming leader is paying a stiff price for the Warner assets—and taking on substantial debt to do so.