The first half of 2026 was shaped by market-moving headlines. The conflict in the Middle East was the most significant story, triggering a short-term market sell-off. But investors also focused on the Supreme Court’s decision that the mechanism by which the Trump administration implemented last year’s tariffs was illegal, increased scrutiny on AI infrastructure spending and the ability to earn a return on it, and a transition of Fed leadership from Jerome Powell to Kevin Warsh.

Midterm elections. A change of leadership at the Fed. The shifting AI theme. There's a lot for investors to think about as we move into the second half of the year. To help navigate the path ahead for markets and the economy, Sam and I welcomed a special guest to this month's Market Observatory, Marc Zabicki, LPL's chief investment officer.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in full swing. It will include 104 games played in 16 stadiums, 11 of which are in major U.S. cities. But here's the big question for investors: Will the World Cup be a win for the U.S. economy?

Despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising oil prices, stock markets have reached all-time highs. It seems investors have been able to look past the short-term noise and focus on the fundamentals. But are there other risks on the horizon?

Stocks have been on a bit of a rollercoaster over the past two months. If your nature is to tune out the noise and check in occasionally, you might have missed it. After a 9 percent sell-off earlier in the year, markets quickly rebounded and have recently traded at all-time highs.

As we enter the second month of the conflict in the Middle East, what impacts are we seeing on the markets and economy? In this month's episode of the Market Observatory, Sam and I look beyond the headlines and focus on the fundamentals. From corporate earnings to rising inflation to recent jobs data, a balance of headwinds and tailwinds has started to emerge for investors.

In this week's Market Observatory, Sam and I break down the challenging landscape the Fed must navigate in the weeks and months ahead, including surging oil prices, inflation worries, and weakness on the jobs front. What will it all mean for interest rates? Listen in to our latest episode for more:

Ongoing military actions in the Middle East have increased investor uncertainty. Of course, geopolitical risk has always existed, and this time is no different. But the impact of events like these on U.S. investors will vary depending on the lasting effects on fundamental drivers of returns, such as job creation, inflation, economic growth, and corporate earnings.

On Friday, the Supreme Court struck down most of the tariffs the Trump administration had imposed over the past year. The question before the court was not whether the tariffs themselves were illegal, but whether the mechanism by which they were enacted was legal. By a 6-3 vote, the Justices determined that the implementation of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) went beyond the authority granted. The IEEPA allows a president to act in times of genuine national emergencies rather than to take broad trade policy actions. For example, it was enacted during the post-9/11 war on global terrorism and after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The early months of 2026 have proven interesting for investors, with no shortage of news affecting the markets. In this month's episode of the Market Observatory, Sam and I break down an investing landscape marked by shifting risks and solid fundamentals, plus what it all means for the path ahead.