Earnings, AI and emerging markets found another gear
The second quarter of 2026 (and the first half of the year more broadly) offered investors a reminder that markets are often driven by fundamentals rather than headlines. Geopolitical tensions, volatile energy prices and shifting interest-rate expectations dominated the news cycle, yet global equities continued to advance as corporate earnings and economic activity remained stronger than expected. The result was a quarter defined less by the risks investors faced and more by the market's ability to absorb them.