Q3 2026 Summary
Higher Rates, Renewed Energy Pressure, and an AI-Led Market
Courtesy of Allen Davis, CFP®
The third quarter of 2026 tested the optimism that carried markets through Q2. The quarter opened with hopes that a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding would bring lasting calm. Instead, the framework broke down, fighting resumed, and crude climbed back above $100 per barrel in September. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy proved stronger than expected, inflation stayed well above target, and the Federal Reserve raised rates for the first time since 2023. Growth held up, but the cost of money moved meaningfully higher.