Historic Patterns Point to Long-Term Stock Upside Despite Midterm-Year Hurdles

Historical patterns suggest that even with midterm-year volatility, investors who stay the course can be rewarded. The Invesco QQQ ETF and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF are up 19.5% and 14.7% year-to-date, while the S&P 500 has delivered about 10% average annual returns since 1957. The presidential cycle’s third year is often the strongest for stocks, implying upside in 2027, so using practical ETFs like QQQ and VOO can position long-term investors for gains while avoiding headline-driven trades.