
Energy-Materials Rally Triggers Inflation Warning for 2026
Analyst Tom Essaye warns that a sharp early-2026 rally in energy and materials stocks signals rising inflation risk, a dynamic that could foreshadow a 2022-style rout for traditional 60/40 portfolios as investors rotate toward value and smaller stocks. With December CPI at 2.7% and JPMorgan casting doubt on 2026 rate cuts (even hinting at a 2027 hike), the market faces potential inflation-driven headwinds and a tougher year than currently priced in.












