Market Mondays Episode #290: How to Prepare for 2026 – End-of-Year Investments & What to Expect Next Year (Dec 23, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this special end-of-year episode of Market Mondays, hosts Rashad, Troy, Jabbar, and Ian Dunlap take a deep dive into strategic investing for 2026. They recap 2025 performance, outline key market lessons, forecast critical market events, and share actionable steps for building lasting wealth in the coming year. Mixing candid personal insights, hard-hitting investment advice, and engaging banter, the panel equips listeners with a powerful blueprint for navigating volatility, seizing opportunities, and staying disciplined as seismic economic and political shifts loom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Biggest Investing Mistakes to Avoid in 2026

• Failure to Accumulate Shares: Not making the personal decision to acquire thousands of shares in quality companies is deemed the biggest potential mistake (09:53).
  • “Number one, is not making the decision... to acquire two or three thousand shares for yourself.” — Ian (09:49)
  • Find a way—next year could be as pivotal as 2020.
• Lack of Clarity (Freedom Number): Not defining a “freedom number” (the amount you need for financial independence) and aggressively investing toward it.
  • “Double down on what your freedom number is and put a lot of cash into making that a reality.” — Ian (10:10)
• Distractions and Social Media Noise: Overconsumption of social media reduces focus and discipline.
  • “You probably need to spend 60% less time on social media in 2026.” — Ian (10:55)
• Trading on Hearsay: Chasing rumors or influencer tips without proper technical or fundamental understanding is risky.
• Overtrading and FOMO: Short-term success often leads to reckless strategies like overtrading and gambling on options.
  • “People are treating their broker's account like it's FanDuel or DraftKings and it's not.” — Jabbar (12:44)
• Not Having a Plan: Approaching investing without a structured, articulated plan is a recipe for setbacks.

[Notable Quote]

“You have to be disciplined about this. You actually have to know—knowing is important... Because the more understanding you have, the more conviction you have...”
— Jabbar (13:09)

2. The 10 Steps for 2026 Success (Rashad’s Blueprint) [13:49–19:45]

Rashad provides a detailed, actionable checklist for 2026:

1. Create a Budget
   • Use apps like YNAB, Monarch Money, Rocket Money/Capital, Every Dollar, Pocket Guard, Good Budget, or go pen & paper.
2. Automate Dollar-Cost Averaging
   • Invest consistently each month, ideally timed with paycheck.
3. Open/Increase Retirement Account Contributions
   • Benefit from tax savings; review and update beneficiaries.
4. Commit to Education
   • One documentary a week, one book every 60 days (suggests reading "The 12 Week Year").
5. Break Goals Down (Micro-Years)
   • Weekly and biweekly milestones, actionable steps, frequent accountability.
6. Business Networking Trips
   • Commit to two business trips for networking (“traveling accelerates your growth”).
7. Health & Diet Discipline
   • Work out 4x a week, monitor nutrition.
8. Dedicate 3 Hours/Day to Increasing Earnings
   • Start a business, get a new job, invest in skills.
   • “It’s going to take at least three hours a day…” — Rashad (19:02)
9. Limit Social Media to Max 1 Hour/Day
   • More time for high-return activities.
10. Efficient Operation/Evaluation
    • Run your life/business with intention and discipline.

[Notable Quote]

“If you want to change your life, sometimes you got to do drastic changes.”
— Rashad (19:05)

3. Macro Outlook for 2026: Cautious Optimism Amid Volatility [25:30–35:10]

• Asset Accumulation ("Asset Hoarding") is Key: 2026 is described as a must-win year for aggressively accumulating quality assets, especially tech and index funds, ahead of anticipated market turbulence.
  • “Now you’ve got to be an asset hoarder... This has to be a deep accumulation year.” — Troy (25:55)
• Deregulation and AI Spending: Deregulation tailwinds are boosting AI, data infrastructure, and financials; persistent infrastructure and data center spending to continue.
• Big Tech (Hyperscalers) to Remain Dominant: Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, etc. continue to drive growth.
• Prepare for Pullbacks and Recession Fear: There is widespread expectation of a significant market dip or correction by late 2026/early 2027, though the market should end positive for most investors.
  • "Your job is to accumulate as many assets as possible." — Ian (25:58)
• Long-Term Mindset > Short-Term Anxiety: Focus on decade-long horizons rather than annual performances to capture true wealth-building.

4. Key Sectors & Stocks for 2026

Technology

• Mega-cap Tech: Microsoft, Nvidia, AMD, Micron, Apple, Tesla, etc.
  • “Rotation is an act of suicide… You have to hyper invest into the mega cap tech.” — Ian (94:17)
• ETFs: SMH for semis, MAG7/MAGS for mega-cap exposure.
• Robinhood as a 2026 Play:
  • "I think Robinhood is set up... What they're building is loyalty." — Jabbar (74:45)

Financials

• JP Morgan (JPM): Remains the top banking stock pick.
  • “JP Morgan has had a record year… one of the banks that are safe of almost any crash...” — Ian (50:13)
• Citi as a Sleeper: Strong performance and potential deregulation benefit.
• Deregulation Tailwinds: Easing regulations and likely buybacks bode well for bank profits.

Commodities

• Gold: Strong hedge, benefiting from inflation/debt fears.
  • “Gold is an asset that... benefits from times when people are losing confidence in the dollar.” — Rashad (47:52)
• Copper: The overlooked infrastructure metal to watch as data centers and AI expand globally.

Other

• Private Equity: Early investing in pre-IPO/pre-tokenization opportunities still largely gatekept.
• ETFs as Entry for Small Investors: For those with less capital, ETFs like SMH or XLF mitigate single-company risk while participating in sector upside.

5. The Importance of Research, Continuous Learning & AI Tools

• Panelists leverage AI platforms for research:
  • Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity (89:00–92:20)
• Recommend building “human intelligence” first, then using AI for efficiency.
• "If I can learn it, I can teach it... So I'm always trying to learn..." — Jabbar (89:42)

6. Questions from the Audience: Practical Guidance

Asset Allocation & Diversification

• Splitting Exposure: For those new to private/VC investing, panelists suggest a 50-25-25 split across public stocks, private investments, and crypto. (97:55–99:31)

Roth vs. Options vs. ETFs

• Start with Ownership: Max out Roth for tax advantages; own shares of best-in-class companies or broad ETFs before venturing into options trading.
  • “Should options be your first thing? No, no, no.” — Jabbar (101:07)

Portfolio Adjustments As Returns Grow

• Move Gains to Safer Assets: As you profit on high-risk names (e.g., Palantir), rotate to safer ETFs to reduce drawdown risk.
  • “As you accumulate more money, you want to put it into safer buckets or safer assets.” — Troy (107:12)

7. Politics, Regulation & Social Landscape: Watch the Shifts

• 2026 Midterms: Political outcomes will heavily influence regulatory/tax environment and market sentiment.
  • "The biggest thing to watch for next year is the political landscape, because that's going to determine the economic landscape for sure." — Rashad (64:50)
• Powell Out, New Fed Chair In: Unknown appointee = major variable for rates, inflation, and investor confidence.

8. Wealth, Mindset, and Community Advancement

• Accountability and Community: Build brokerage/investing groups, double down on collective asset ownership, and network with intent.
• Long-term Vision & Discipline: Repeat: Time in quality assets beats timing and noise.
• Service to Others: Real experts want you to win—execute advice, avoid decision paralysis, and ignore naysayers.
  • "You have to have a pre-determined target in your long-term and short-term investing journey." — Ian (112:23)
• Panel’s Personal Reflections: Panelists stress the power of teamwork, humility, and being receptive to growth and criticism.
• Wealth-Building Mindset:
  • “Freedom for your family has to be the goal.” — Troy (115:08)
  • “If you want to get rich, stop bullshitting on social media.” — Troy (114:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Asset Accumulation
  "Asset hoarder. Asset hoarder. This has to be a deep accumulation year." — Troy (25:58)
• On Discipline & Overtrading
  “Treating your brokerage account like FanDuel...you've gotta be disciplined.” — Jabbar (12:44)
• On Avoiding Distraction
  "You probably need to spend 60% less time on social media in 2026.” — Ian (10:58)
• On Investing Mindset
  "If you're not willing to hold for 10 years, you're just talking...Hold for five years minimum, ideally 10." — Ian (31:12, 39:04)
• On Working Smarter & Harder
  “Do more, so I can pay you more, there you go." — Troy (23:22)
• On Future-Proofing
  "There is no more safety in corporate...everyone is going to be forced to be an investor and entrepreneur." — Troy (39:35)
• On Research with AI
  "If I can learn it, I can teach it. And so I'm always trying to learn because I'm always trying to teach." — Jabbar (89:42)
• On Owning, Not Renting, Wealth
  "We have to start having conversations about owning a large percentage of companies." — Troy (44:21)
• On Health Insurance Costs & Spending
  "If you haven't been where someone's been, don't challenge them on something you haven't experienced." — Rashad (78:49–80:45)

Important Timestamps

• Biggest Mistakes to Avoid in 2026: 09:43–13:37
• 10-Step Blueprint for Success: 13:49–19:45
• Market Outlook & Asset Hoarding: 25:30–35:10
• Tech Sector Conviction & ETF Strategy: 40:11–44:18
• Gold/Copper & Commodities Discussion: 45:14–49:24
• Biggest Bank Plays (JPMorgan/Citi): 50:01–54:03
• Impact of Deregulation: 53:25–54:03
• Political Risk and Fed Outlook: 64:50–67:16
• Using AI for Research: 88:58–92:20
• Portfolio Building & Asset Allocation: 97:02–99:31
• Retirement Investing vs. Active Trading: 100:09–104:39
• Panel Reflections & Year-in-Review: 71:14–85:20
• Closing Insights and Advice: 119:02–124:43

Final Takeaways

• 2026 is FOR action, not passivity—prioritize accumulating quality assets (especially tech, financials, and well-chosen ETFs).
• Discipline and consistent execution will separate winners from losers during heightened volatility and macro uncertainty.
• Ignore the noise and short-term fads—build conviction through research, use AI to your advantage, and focus on a decade-long strategy.
• Community and accountability matter—investing together multiplies impact; wealth is a team sport.
• The best time to prepare is now—review the actionable blueprint, set goals, and commit to intentional wealth-building for you and your family.

[Closing Thoughts]

“You deserve to be rich. Get the book. You deserve to be wealthy. Lock in.”
— Ian (119:29)

Next episode airs January 5, 2026—Bring two friends and get ready to take your investing to the next level!