The Financial Post reports in its Wednesday edition that Wall Street bulls face challenges for 2026 to deliver another year of double-digit returns. A Bloomberg dispatch to the Post reports that U.S. trade tensions are high, the economy shows signs of sluggishness, interest rates remain elevated despite three cuts and the artificial intelligence trade is uncertain.
The U.S. military operation in Venezuela did not impact American financial markets, but its suddenness highlighted how fragile trading strategies can be amidst big geopolitical shifts.
CIBC analyst Christopher Harvey says of the intervention in Venezuela, "We think people are sleeping on the macro risks -- and this is a macro risk we didn't even see."
So far, the raid that captured President Nicolas Maduro has been met with a shrug on Wall Street. The S&P 500 index rose 0.6 per cent on Monday and crude oil edged higher. Some haven assets advanced, notably gold and U.S. Treasuries. The Cboe Volatility index, however, remains subdued, trading below 16.
To Mr. Harvey, the reaction mostly makes sense, but it also underscores his view that investors have become inured to risks after a three-year rally that pushed stocks higher by roughly 80 per cent.
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