Vance Howard on the Schwab Network - Click to play

Vance Howard expects 2026 to be a good year, saying the odds of being down are “very minimal.” The market is “too strong” to worry much about the headlines around Fed Chair Powell, he says, but highlights a dovish new Fed Chair in May. He expects two rate cuts this year. Vance anticipates a lot of opportunities for investors across sectors as the market broadens. His picks now include Nova (NVMI), the financial sector ETF (XLF), and the materials sector ETF (XLB).