Adria Cimino, The Motley Fool
5 min read
The S&P 500's bull market has roared on in 2026, extending the gain of 78% over the past three calendar years. Investors, optimistic about the future of artificial intelligence (AI), have piled into tech giants, and the enthusiasm has spilled over into other growth sectors as well. The idea is that AI may help companies become more efficient and innovative, and save money -- and all of this is fantastic news for earnings growth over time.
But the S&P 500's path hasn't been completely smooth. In fact, various headwinds temporarily interrupted the momentum, from concern about the longevity of the AI revolution to worries about turmoil in Iran. This pushed the index to decline in the first quarter, though it's recently rebounded and is now heading for an increase of more than 8%.
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Still, the jury is out when it comes to the index's performance for 2026. And this is because one particular headwind continues to weigh on investors' minds: the risk of rising inflation and an eventual interest rate hike to keep it under control. This is why June 16 may be a big day for the stock market -- and set the stage for what happens next.
Interest rates and inflation
So, first, let's look at the recent interest rate picture and the latest inflation report. To offer context, it's important to consider what's happened over the past few years. Rising inflation in 2022 prompted then Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell to launch interest rate increases -- the move did its job of taming inflation, and Powell started lowering rates two years later. Though Powell continued to decrease rates by a quarter point during three of last year's meetings, including the one in December, President Donald Trump, calling for more rate cuts, criticized the Fed chief.
In recent times, an important shift has taken place -- one that makes June 16 a moment to watch. With Powell reaching the end of his term, Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to take on the role of Fed chair. And on June 16, Warsh will oversee his first Fed meeting in the role. The Federal Open Market Committee meets eight times a year to consider economic conditions and adjust monetary policy as needed.
Warsh has expressed views suggesting he might take a different path than the one Powell took. For example, Warsh has voiced his desire to reduce the Fed's balance sheet, which has soared to $6.6 trillion as the Fed made huge asset purchases to bolster the economy. The new Fed chair has also said the Fed has offered too many early forecasts -- and he might cut back that guidance.