New fighting in the Middle East and market impact
Wells Fargo Investment Institute
Key takeways
• After the U.S. and Israeli forces struck hundred of military and government targets in Iran beginning on February 28, capital markets reacted with lower equity prices, but higher fixed income and energy prices.
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Trendlines over headlines
2026 Outlook
WELLS FARGO Investment Institute
When negative headlines prevail, readers often reach reflexively for Murphy's Law and a "Well, that figures" shrug. Even good news in abundance can prompt a squint to find the negatives that must be in there somewhere.
2025 certainly created lots of headline fatigue around rapid and sometimes abrupt changes, both in government policies and in the technological revolution that is artificial intelligence (AI). But we are looking through the headlines and see economic and policy trends that should drive the economy and capital markets in 2026. An important goal of our 2026 Outlook report is to present those contours and explain how we see them as not only durable, but also reinforcing each other...
Click here to read the full report
Special Report -- Women and Investing: The strengths of women investors
Wells Fargo Investment Institute considers how women can overcome obstacles and build on their strengths when it comes to investing. Its special report provides perspective on various topics including the gap in retirement savings, how women tend to invest, and two keys to becoming a better investor.
Q&A -- Headlines hide fundamental market supports
Wells Fargo Investment Institute
What it may mean for investors:
- Volatility due to policy and corporate earnings uncertainties may continue in the coming weeks, but we expect the fundamental trends to continue.
Policy, Politics & Portfolios
Wells Fargo Investment Institute
What federal budget, regulatory, and trade decisions could mean for investors
Don't panic, it's just politics (again)
Wells Fargo Investment Institute
A government shutdown looms as stalled congressional negotiations increase the probability that nonessential government services cease on October 1. A deal to keep the government open could be reached at any time. In the event the government does shut down, historical precedents suggest that such events typically exert modest, short-term pressure on financial markets...
A message from WIM Chief Investment Officer Darrell Cronk
State of the Markets: Four signals above the noise
“The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing.” — John Bogle
Signal-to-noise ratio is an engineering term. It is a comparison between the clarity of a desired signal against the din of background noise. The signal is the useful and meaningful information that you are trying to detect. The noise is random and unwanted variations that interfere with the signal.
Missing the market's best days
Chart of the Week
Market timing is difficult, and missing the best days can weigh heavily on long-term returns
The perils of trying to time volatile markets
Wells Fargo Investment Institute
Missing a handful of the best days in the markets over long time periods can drastically reduce the average annual return an investor could gain just by holding on to their equity investments during sell-offs.
Wells Fargo Investment Institute Alert
The U.S. strikes a blow against Iran: What's moving markets, Implications for investors
WELLS FARGO Investment Institute Mid-Year Outlook Opportunities amid uneven terrain
Our 2025 Outlook Report foresaw a new chapter in the U.S. economy, including policy changes - but not to this degree. The largest tariff increases since the 1930s are rapidly reshaping global trade and are likely to spark inflation and slow spending. Tariff negotiations are ongoing, but we do expect some significant tariffs still in place through 2026. Meanwile, Congress is hammering out a budget that should extend the 2017 tax cuts and may add some new ones. Much depends on policy negotiations that remain fluid.
Wells Fargo Investment Institute: Market Commentary
Nice surprise: Trade negotiations for the United States and China
Wells Fargo Investment Institute -- Investment Strategy
Asset Allocation Spotlight: The risks of trying to time tariff turmoil
Wells Fargo Investment Institute: Investment Strategy
Asset Allocation Spotlight: Recent downturn shows value of diversification
Wells Fargo Investment Institute: State of the Markets
Sentiment is shaky -- but hard economic data remains on stable ground