Wall Street is anticipating a near-record earnings season, but for investors a key question remains: Will it be enough to keep stock market bulls running?
The stakes have rarely been higher. The S&P 500 Index shook off a tough start to the year and now is up more than 10% in 2026. But the move feels fragile since the typical drivers of the rally — the technology behemoths known as the Magnificent Seven — are barely participating, with an index tracking the group gaining just 3.2% this year. If that continues, the S&P 500 will need strong performances from its other 493 stocks to continue powering the index through the second half.
