The US stock market enters the second half of 2026 after a strong first six months, with investors now turning their attention from the rapid pace of artificial intelligence investment to whether companies can translate those billions of dollars into earnings growth.
The benchmark S&P 500 has risen more than 8% this year, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite has gained roughly 11%, extending a rally that has largely been driven by AI-related companies. Both indexes, however, pulled back during June as investors reassessed valuations and looked ahead to the next earnings season, Reuters reported.
