Yahoo Finance

The markets soared in the first half of 2026, with the S&P 500 up 9%. Can the momentum continue? At Argus, we think the bull still has some life. In fact, in our "base case" for the second half of the year, we see the S&P 500 gaining another 5%-7%. We also have a "bullish case," where more goes right, and a "bearish case," where more goes wrong. As we start the back half of the year, we have tweaked our annual investment themes (originally publish in January), focusing on six that we expect will drive the stock market. Those six themes are AI Broadens Out; Energy Realignment; Upbeat Management Signals, Dividend Hikes; Upbeat Management Signals, Raising Guidance; Consumer Relief; and Rotation into Income. For this week's list, we dive into the first three themes and identify certain key stocks that we believe exemplify each theme.

Last week was a sloppy four-day affair for the stock market, as the mega cap indices continue their sideways trek since peaking at all-time highs on June 2. The S&P 500 rose 1.8%, the Nasdaq was up 2%, the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.7%, the S&P MidCap 400 fell 0.2%, and the S&P Small Cap 600 lost 0.9%. The S&P 100 was up 2.3%, the Invesco SPX Top 50 (XLG) tacked on 2.4%, and the iShares Top 20 ETF (TOPT) added 2.6%.

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.