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(1:15) – Overall Market Outlook For 2026
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(5:00) – How Should Investors Navigate The AI Industry Right Now?
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(9:20) – Fixed Income Investing: Will Bonds Continue To Perform Well Through 2026?
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(13:10) – Portfolio Positioning For 2026: What Areas Should Investors Be Watching?
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(15:20) – Breaking Down The Current State of The ETF Industry: The
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Guide To ETFs
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(19:30) – Episode Roundup: JTEK, QQQ, QQQM, JBND, JPIE, JMUB, JIRE,
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VXUS
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Podcast@Zacks.com
In this episode of ETF Spotlight, I speak with Jon Maier, Chief ETF Strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, about the market outlook and portfolio positioning for 2026.
As we enter 2026, one of the biggest questions for investors is whether stocks can deliver a fourth consecutive year of double-digit returns, something that is historically rare. So far, the major indexes have continued their rally into the new year, largely shrugging off geopolitical developments.
Jon expects growth and inflation to rise early in 2026 due to the One Big Beautiful Act, then cool later in the year as tariff and immigration policy take effect. He expects two to three rate cuts as tariff-driven inflation subsides.
While valuations are stretched, they are supported by strong fundamentals. Investors should prioritize secular themes, such as the broadening AI trade and deregulation in financials.
The JPMorgan U.S. Tech Leaders ETF JTEK outperformed its tech benchmark and saw impressive inflows last year. NVIDIA NVDA, Alphabet GOOGL, and Lam Research LRCX are its top holdings currently.
The ultra-popular Invesco QQQ QQQ and its lower-cost counterpart, the Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF QQQM, also provide exposure to leading tech innovators in a single ETF.
Last year, the MSCI All Country World ex-US Index outpaced U.S. markets by the widest margin since the global financial crisis in 2009. International markets, which are benefiting from structural changes including AI, fiscal stimulus, and shareholder-friendly policies, have further upside in J.P. Morgan’s view.
ETFs such as the JPMorgan International Research Enhanced Equity ETF JIRE and the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF VXUS significantly outperformed the S&P 500 Index last year.
JPMorgan is a leader in the active fixed income space. Many of its ETFs saw strong interest as investors continue to embrace active security selection across credit, securitized assets, global bonds, and municipal markets.
Tune in to the podcast to learn more.
Make sure to be on the lookout for the next edition of the ETF Spotlight and remember to subscribe! If you have any comments or questions, please email podcast@zacks.com.