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Whether the headline comes from a newspaper or a push notification, there will always be negative news that will make investors wary.
The table below shows standout news events over the past half century. Since we’re in 2026, we highlighted events from each year ending in six. Disciplined investors who tuned out the noise and stayed invested in stocks were rewarded in the long run.
Staying Invested Despite Negative News
| Year | Reasons Not to Invest | Stock Market Return for Calendar Year |
Growth of $10,000 Investment From Year in Column 1* to 12/31/25 |
| 1976 | High Inflation | 23.93% | $2,939,582 |
| High unemployment | |||
| China earthquake kills 240,000 | |||
| 1986 | Cold War | 18.67% | $769,374 |
| Chernobyl meltdown | |||
| Iran-Contra Affair | |||
| 1996 | "Irrational exuberance" speech | 22.96% | $192,167 |
| Federal Reserve rate hikes | |||
| Atlanta Olympics bombing | |||
| 2006 | Housing bubble | 15.79% | $80,619 |
| Subprime loans surging | |||
| Global credit risks rising | |||
| 2016 | Trump vs. Clinton | 11.96% | $39,827 |
| Brexit vote and fallout | |||
| Zika virus outbreak | |||
| 2026 | AI bubble fears |
??? | ??? |
| US ousts leader of Venezuela | |||
| Contentious midyear election |
Past performance does not guarantee future results. * Assumes an initial investment of $10,000 in stocks beginning on January 1 of the year in column 1 through December 31, 2025, reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, and no taxes or transaction costs. Stocks are represented by the S&P 500 Index, which is a market capitalization-weighted price index composed of 500 widely held common stocks. Indices are unmanaged and not available for direct investment. For illustrative purposes only. Data Sources: Morningstar and Hartford Funds, 1/26.
What will 2026 bring? Even if it’s a down year for stocks like 2022 when the S&P 500 Index lost more than 18%, history suggests the market is likely to be resilient and reward investors over time.
Your financial professional can help you become a more confident and disciplined investor.
This material is provided for educational purposes only.
Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Individual investors’ circumstances may vary. Before investing, consider your personal goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon. While diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market, it may be prudent to diversify among equity and fixed-income investments.
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