2026 Outlook: The Policy Engine
In 2026, we observed a market environment where fiscal and monetary policy decisions, rather than traditional business fundamentals, were the primary drivers of market direction. This shift means that policy influence and market momentum have become significantly more impactful in shaping market trends, often overshadowing underlying economic performance…
Assessing the Impact of Developments in Iran: Watch Energy
Over the weekend, the United States and Israel conducted a coordinated series of missile and drone strikes against Iran, targeting several high-value military installations in an effort to hinder Iran’s nuclear development efforts…
Weekly Market Performance — February 27, 2026
LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of February 23, 2026. U.S. stocks fell for the week as concerns about AI’s disruptive impact drove a broader risk‑off shift. Technology and banks weakened, while defensive sectors held up better.
Continuation Funds: What They Are and Why They Matter
With traditional private equity investment exits facing difficulty over the past few years — albeit improving somewhat recently — private equity sponsors have increasingly relied on the use of continuation funds…
Competitors to the Greenback Are Less Significant
Let’s develop a scenario to explain the importance of foreign exchange (FX) markets and specifically, the dominance of the U.S. dollar. Say, for example, Thailand, one of the world’s major rice exporters, engages in trade with Brazil, the second‑largest cotton exporter…
When Mega Caps Waver and Small Caps Surge
Every market cycle has its own character, but certain patterns appear frequently enough that they deserve attention. This is especially true when evaluating early-year rallies in small caps…
LPL Research’s 2026 Strategic Asset Allocation
LPL Research’s Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA) sits at the center of our portfolio construction process because it defines how we expect diversified portfolios to generate more stable long‑term outcomes across shifting market environments.