Rosemeyer Management Group
January 2026 Market Snapshot
January in Review
It is a long-standing belief on Wall Street that
January markets act as a harbinger for the year to
come. January witnessed a constructive, albeit
volatile, start to the year for equity markets. The
three major US indices posted modest ~1-2% gains
for the month, albeit marked by a mid-month dip
due to a brief US-India tariff standoff. Of note, small
cap stocks posted a remarkable 5%+ month to lead
US markets supported by improving domestic
demand and stabilizing financial conditions.
International markets roared upwards by almost 6%
to start the year led by defense stocks amidst
heightened geopolitical rhetoric. Bond returns were
muted for the month as interest yields remained
range bound. Thus, if January serves as any
indicator, 2026 could shape up to be a modest year
marked by pockets of volatility.
| Index | 1 Month | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 1.80% | 1.80% |
| Standard & Poor’s 500 Average | 1.45% | 1.45% |
| Russell 2000 (Small Cap Index) | 5.35% | 5.35% |
| Total U.S. Stock Market | 1.63% | 1.63% |
| MSCI ACWI ex USA (Intl. Index) | 5.98% | 5.98% |
| Barclay’s U.S. Agg. Bond Index | 0.11% | 0.11% |
Source: Morningstar
Looking Forward
While February historically is a weaker month for markets, the last handful of months has evidenced two
important trends: positive momentum and improving market breadth. January again was characterized by
broad participation and leadership from economically sensitive and value-oriented segments of the market –
not just the touted “Magnificent 7” companies. This supports an overall market backdrop that is underpinned
by stable financial conditions and strong corporate balance sheets across the economy. In other words,
markets enter 2026 on more balanced footing. On the other hand, gold and silver markets have been seeing
their largest upswings (and downswings) of recent memory as portfolio diversifiers have rotated towards
precious metals. Economic data paints a mixed but relevant picture. Headline inflation has been cooling
slightly, while producer inflation recently saw a spike. PMI indicators for both manufacturing and services
have beat expectations to indicate continued economic expansion. Markets will also watch Trump’s new Fed
Chair appointee, Kevin Warsh, closely to gauge if his outlook is in line with the central bank’s current wait-
and-see approach.
On a Personal Note
As we close out January, we hope your New Year’s resolutions are all
in full swing! Our office is gearing up for the tax season ahead and
making sure our clients have all of the tax documents needed to
make filing go efficiently. Remember if you have a brokerage account,
those 1099s do not come out until February 15 th – you will certainly
need these when filing taxes. Please reach out to us if we can help in
any way. Since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, we are not
excited for six more weeks of winter…Wishing you a warm and safe
February!
Rosemeyer Management Group
Advisory services offered through RMG Wealth Management LLC
i Nasdaq.com, February 2, 2026
Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. The views and material presented in these materials were created and intended to provide background assistance and education. No product or service is offered in connection with the dissemination of this information, and no recommendation regarding the purchase or sale of any security is made, intended or should be implied by these materials.
