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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 US and Israel attack Iran
 ??? ???
AI bubble fears
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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