Q2 2026 Newsletter & Market Review
Hi All,
Welcome to the Q2 2026 Newsletter & Market Review. On a personal note, I have a couple of family additions to share. Most importantly, Olivia Emerson Hall arrived on 6/22 at 5:32pm (8lb 9oz). She has been super easy and a great sleeper so far. Mom is doing great and the older kids have been a tremendous help.
Because 4 kids weren't enough work, and one of my clients thought it would be a great idea, we adopted a six-year-old golden retriever. Toby has been an amazing dog and very gentle with our kids. Pictures of both below!
Q2 Market Performance
The market has quickly rebounded from early concerns surrounding the War in Iran. The S&P 500 ended the first quarter down 4% for the year. We are currently up 9.25% year-to-date. In May alone, the S&P closed at a record high 11 times. S&P 500 earnings remain very strong and ultimately earnings drive market results. Tech experienced tremendous gains in the second quarter. Tech ended the first quarter down nearly 6%. It is now up nearly 20% for the year. Small cap and mid cap stocks added to their first quarter gains currently up 22% and 15% respectively year-to-date. International stocks also added to first quarter gains sitting at 11% for the year. Good news on all fronts! Hopefully we are on our way to another productive year.
Year-to-date Returns 2026
S&P 500 +9.25%
Total Market +10.15%
Tech +20.03%
Mid Cap +15.01%
Small Cap +22.04%
International +11.09%
Newsletter Topics
SpaceX IPO - SpaceX officially went public on June 12th. The company raised roughly $75 billion, and its shares closed nearly 19% above their offer price, pushing its market value above $2 trillion. It currently sits about 5% above it’s initial price. The share price will be tested when employees have the opportunity to sell shares.
Oil Prices & War in Iran- Oil is currently priced at $73 - $74 per barrel, but the situation around the Strait of Hormuz remains fragile and unpredictable. Lower oil prices could help lingering inflation, but it’s hard to know when the conflict will reach a final resolution.
Inflation - May’s core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) held at 3.4%year-over-year, well above the Fed’s 2% target. Core PCE reflects the prices paid for goods and services, but it does not account for the prices of goods considered more volatile, such as energy. Despite a higher PCE, consumer spending still increased. It will be interesting to see how the Fed analyzes the data during their July meeting.
Stock Market Closure - As a reminder, the U.S. stock market will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2026, in observance of Independence Day.
Out of Office - I will be out of the office from August 1st - 8th. I will be available via email, text, phone call for any urgent matters.
I'm looking forward to our next client meeting! Enjoy your 4th of July weekend. Feel free to schedule our next meeting using the link below.