Chart of the Week

S&P 500 Returns After All-Time Highs

January 13, 2026

Time to Read: 3 mins

The S&P 500 recently hit a new all-time high after a notable year of peaks in 2025. Is now the time for caution? History tells us attractive performance often follows record highs.

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Last week, the S&P 500 set a record closing high that neared the still unbroached 7,000 level, after reaching a notable record of 39 all-time highs throughout 2025. Last year’s performance reflects the fifth most all-time highs in a year since 2000 and the 15th most in the entire history of the index.

However, when markets reach new highs, some investors become overly cautious and conclude that the market has hit a ceiling. It’s therefore important to recognize that historically, forward returns after new all-time highs are higher on average than those following other days.

This is a key reason why we advise investors to stay invested at all times, including now. Even when faced with headlines on matters such as geopolitics, the labor market and artificial intelligence capital expenditures, looking past the noise and keeping a long-term perspective is the best way to build wealth.

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Contained contagion?

U.S. high yield credit spreads have widened year to date, reflecting greater investor caution about perceived default risk. The move also raises concerns about possible credit contagion. However, because spread widening has been concentrated in the lowest-quality issuers rather than higher-quality issuers, we don’t anticipate broader market stress.

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Can the bull run in corporate margins continue?

Higher inflation and elevated interest rates typically weigh on corporate profitability, yet corporate margins continue to climb to record highs. While that strength is evident both in the U.S. and abroad, U.S. outperformance versus Europe is now the widest on record. Stronger margins have helped contribute to better-than-expected earnings and reinforce U.S. equity leadership. The question now is whether that strength can persist?

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Higher yields, but lower sensitivity

Higher interest rates have become a frequently cited risk to corporate earnings and the economy. The conventional thinking is straightforward: when borrowing costs rise, companies face higher interest expenses, profits come under pressure, and economic growth slows. While there is truth to that relationship, the current cycle may differ from investors’ expectations.

Chart of the Week | Macroeconomic

Is AI productivity hiding in the data?

Both the dot-com era and the rise of artificial intelligence suggest that early productivity data can understate the actual economic impact of transformative technologies. In the case of the internet, later revisions to productivity gains surpassed early estimates. The same may prove true for AI, implying stronger support for growth.