WEEKLY UPDATE ~ Ep. 75 - What Will Drive Markets in 2026? Fed Changes, AI, and Policy Risk

Welcome to the first CB3 Financials Weekly Podcast of 2026. We open the year by breaking down three major forces setting the stage for markets in the months ahead.

The S&P just wrapped up its third straight year of double digit gains, with strong performances from the Dow and Nasdaq driven largely by AI and big tech. But what does that momentum mean as we enter a midterm election year?

In this episode, we cover the political and economic landscape under President Trump’s second term, including tariffs, deregulation, tax policy, and the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on GDP growth. We also look closely at artificial intelligence as the defining investment theme, the growing divide between the Magnificent Seven and the rest of the market, and why international markets quietly outperformed in 2025.

We close with a deep dive into gold and silver’s strongest year since 1979 and why the upcoming decision on the next Federal Reserve chair, with Jerome Powell’s term ending in May, may be the most consequential market event of 2026.

A clear eyed roadmap for the year ahead and the key questions investors should be watching closely.