Each quarter, Cetera Investment Management releases a chartbook that provides insights on economic outlook and current circumstances to help inform your mindset. As 2026 is underway, the quarterly chartbook for the first quarter of the year is now available for your viewing.
Here are some of the primary takeaways from the Q1 2026 Chartbook:
Economy - Slowing but Stable
- The labor market is cooling, but steady consumer spending and rising AI-related capital expenditures provide a tailwind for
growth. - Weak labor market dynamics, housing weakness, and fading tariff effects could drive an inflation slowdown in the first half of the
year.
Equities - Tempered Return Expectations
- Consensus earnings growth expectations for 2026 are strong, but lofty expectations and elevated stock valuations could
dampen return potential. - Megacap growth stocks have led the bull market, but valuations look more attractive in Value, Small Cap, and International
categories.
Fixed Income - Range Bound Yields
- Intermediate Treasury yields may stay range bound, shaped by inflation trends and economic growth
- High yield bond spreads sit near historically low levels, leaving riskier credit vulnerable if volatility drives widening spreads
The chartbook also includes an overview of the current risk level of the United States economy, in addition to many graph and chart figures, such as a recession risk indicator and economic trend signal gauge.
There is plentiful information that can help inform your economic outlook to start the yar, so please have a look at the full chartbook to have a full grasp of the current circumstances.
As always, if you have any questions about current economic uncertainty or just want to meet for a regularly scheduled meeting, please contact AdviceLink today.