2026 Market Outlook and Blue-Chip Stock Recommendations
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 15 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CBOE?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Market Challenges: In 2026, despite a strong stock market performance over the past three years, rising inflation, a weak job market, and war in the Middle East are pressuring the market, leading to declines in both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 in March.
- Rising Volatility: The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index has surged nearly 80% since the beginning of the year, indicating investor concerns about future uncertainties, prompting some to consider reallocating funds into safer assets like gold or bonds.
- Blue-Chip Stock Recommendation: Bank of America reported a net income of $3.3 billion and revenue of $11.2 billion in Q4, a 5% year-over-year increase, and has raised its dividend annually for 12 years, currently yielding 2.3%, demonstrating its stable profitability and commitment to shareholder returns.
- Energy and Tech Investments: ExxonMobil generated $52 billion in cash flow in 2025, returning $37.2 billion to shareholders and increasing its dividend for 43 consecutive years; meanwhile, Alphabet's revenue reached $402.8 billion in 2025, with a 32% year-over-year net income growth, showcasing strong growth potential in advertising and cloud computing.
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Analyst Views on CBOE
Wall Street analysts forecast CBOE stock price to rise
8 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
5 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 279.790
Low
240.00
Averages
290.86
High
317.00
Current: 279.790
Low
240.00
Averages
290.86
High
317.00
About CBOE
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. is a provider of derivatives and securities exchange networks, and delivers trading, clearing and investment solutions to customers. The Company operates through six segments. The Options segment includes options on market indices (index options), as well as on the stocks of individual corporations (equity options). The North American Equities segment includes United States equities and ETP transaction services. The Europe and Asia Pacific segments include the pan-European listed equities and derivatives transaction services, ETPs, exchange-traded commodities, and international depository receipts. The Futures segment includes transaction services provided by Cboe Futures Exchange, LLC (CFE), an electronic futures exchange that offers trading of VIX futures and other futures products. The Global FX segment includes institutional FX trading services. The Digital segment includes a regulated futures exchange (Cboe Digital Exchange) and a regulated clearinghouse.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Annual Financial Growth: For the full year 2025, total operating expenses reached CAD 16.1 million, up from CAD 8.1 million in 2024, reflecting a substantial increase in marketing and investor relations expenditures following the company's public listing, indicating a strong commitment to market expansion.
- Cash Flow Status: As of December 31, 2025, Light AI had a cash balance of CAD 6.5 million, down from CAD 15.2 million in 2024, highlighting a need for improved capital efficiency in operations and marketing to support future commercialization efforts.
- Technological Progress and Market Opportunities: Light AI's QuickScan™ Strep A application is now commercially ready, with the CEO stating that the company is executing a dual-track strategy of advancing clinical trials and regulatory approvals to capture early leadership in a large, underserved global market, which is expected to drive future revenue growth.
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- Corruption Risks: Merkley emphasized that allowing individuals to place well-timed bets on congressional bills or military actions creates ripe conditions for corruption and undermines public trust, potentially affecting the integrity of democratic institutions.
- Market Regulation: The new bill imposes broader restrictions on prediction markets than previous measures, clarifying that these markets contradict the intent of federal trading laws and returning regulatory power over gambling to the states, addressing existing legal loopholes.
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- Insufficient Self-Regulation: Despite Kalshi and Polymarket announcing new rules to restrict relevant individuals from betting on their platforms, Schiff argues that these measures are inadequate, emphasizing the need for stricter oversight to prevent insider trading and market manipulation.
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- Economic Impact Analysis: Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York indicates that while only about 3% of the population engages in sports betting post-legalization, overall credit delinquency rises by 0.3 percentage points, highlighting the potential negative impact of widespread gambling on household financial stability.
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- Oil Price Volatility: Despite hopes for a cooling of tensions, oil prices remain uncertain due to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that the energy market is still heavily influenced by the ongoing conflict, necessitating cautious investor strategies.
- Berkshire Hathaway's Resilience: As a stock that has performed well in both bull and bear markets, Berkshire Hathaway demonstrates strong resilience during economic shocks, particularly with its investments in energy allowing it to benefit from rising oil prices, further solidifying its market position.
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- Small Cap Screening: Bank of America identified small-cap stocks in the top quintile for both value and quality, focusing on companies that have paid dividends or reduced share counts over the past 12 months to mitigate potential stagflation risks.
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- Regulatory Disputes: Multiple states, including Michigan and Massachusetts, have initiated civil lawsuits against Kalshi, aiming to halt its operations or compel compliance with gambling license requirements, reflecting the ongoing battle over regulatory authority in prediction markets.
- Legal Strategy: Kalshi has preemptively sued to prevent punitive actions from other states, although Arizona's Attorney General described this as
See More
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- Operating Expense Reduction: In Q4 2025, Light AI reported operating expenses of CAD 2.3 million, a significant decrease from CAD 5.6 million in Q3 2025, primarily due to reduced marketing and product development costs, thereby enhancing the company's financial health.
- Annual Financial Growth: For the full year 2025, total operating expenses reached CAD 16.1 million, up from CAD 8.1 million in 2024, reflecting a substantial increase in marketing and investor relations expenditures following the company's public listing, indicating a strong commitment to market expansion.
- Cash Flow Status: As of December 31, 2025, Light AI had a cash balance of CAD 6.5 million, down from CAD 15.2 million in 2024, highlighting a need for improved capital efficiency in operations and marketing to support future commercialization efforts.
- Technological Progress and Market Opportunities: Light AI's QuickScan™ Strep A application is now commercially ready, with the CEO stating that the company is executing a dual-track strategy of advancing clinical trials and regulatory approvals to capture early leadership in a large, underserved global market, which is expected to drive future revenue growth.
See More
Legislation Introduced to Ban Election Prediction Market Bets
- Legislative Proposal: Senators Jeff Merkley and Elizabeth Warren, along with Rep. Jamie Raskin, have introduced the STOP Corrupt Bets Act, aimed at banning prediction market bets on elections, government actions, and sports, highlighting increasing scrutiny on these platforms.
- Corruption Risks: Merkley emphasized that allowing individuals to place well-timed bets on congressional bills or military actions creates ripe conditions for corruption and undermines public trust, potentially affecting the integrity of democratic institutions.
- Market Regulation: The new bill imposes broader restrictions on prediction markets than previous measures, clarifying that these markets contradict the intent of federal trading laws and returning regulatory power over gambling to the states, addressing existing legal loopholes.
- Industry Response: Prediction market platform Kalshi criticized the legislation, claiming it is driven by casino interests threatened by competition, reflecting strong opposition within the industry and concerns about the future of prediction markets.
See More
Senators Push to Ban Sports Prediction Markets Amid Insider Trading Concerns
- Legislative Proposal: Senators Adam Schiff and John Curtis introduced the Prediction Markets are Gambling Act, aiming to transfer regulatory control of sports betting and casino-style games to states rather than federal agencies, which could significantly alter the existing market structure.
- Insufficient Self-Regulation: Despite Kalshi and Polymarket announcing new rules to restrict relevant individuals from betting on their platforms, Schiff argues that these measures are inadequate, emphasizing the need for stricter oversight to prevent insider trading and market manipulation.
- Market Risk Warning: Schiff cautioned that current regulations fail to effectively address the potential risks of insider trading, particularly with the application of blockchain technology, which could lead to unregulated gambling activities that undermine market fairness.
- Economic Impact Analysis: Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York indicates that while only about 3% of the population engages in sports betting post-legalization, overall credit delinquency rises by 0.3 percentage points, highlighting the potential negative impact of widespread gambling on household financial stability.
See More
Trump Delays Attack on Iran, Stocks Rally
- Market Rally: Trump's announcement to postpone an attack on Iranian power plants led to a significant rebound in the stock market on Monday, with major indexes rising approximately 1.5%, reflecting investors' positive response to a temporary easing of geopolitical risks.
- Oil Price Volatility: Despite hopes for a cooling of tensions, oil prices remain uncertain due to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that the energy market is still heavily influenced by the ongoing conflict, necessitating cautious investor strategies.
- Berkshire Hathaway's Resilience: As a stock that has performed well in both bull and bear markets, Berkshire Hathaway demonstrates strong resilience during economic shocks, particularly with its investments in energy allowing it to benefit from rising oil prices, further solidifying its market position.
- Cash Reserve Advantage: With nearly $370 billion in cash and T-bills as of the end of 2025, Berkshire Hathaway possesses significant acquisition power, enabling it to seize investment opportunities during market downturns, showcasing its strategic flexibility in uncertain economic environments.
See More
Small Cap Stocks Attractive Amid Stagflation Risks
- Stagflation Risks: The U.S. economy faces stagflation risks, with February's Producer Price Index (PPI) rising 3.4% year-over-year and core PPI at 3.9%, intensifying concerns over low growth and high inflation, which has led to increased market volatility.
- Increased Market Volatility: The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) recently reached about 23, indicating rising market uncertainty and heightened investor fear, particularly in the small-cap sector where investors are favoring high-quality stocks with cash returns.
- Small Cap Screening: Bank of America identified small-cap stocks in the top quintile for both value and quality, focusing on companies that have paid dividends or reduced share counts over the past 12 months to mitigate potential stagflation risks.
- Stock Performance: Bread Financial is rated a buy, despite being down 12% from its recent high, it has risen 1.5% this month; Progyny is down 37% but up 2% this week, indicating potential opportunities in small-cap stocks amid market uncertainty.
See More
Kalshi Faces Criminal Charges in Arizona Over Betting Operations
- Legal Escalation: Arizona's Attorney General has filed 20 misdemeanor charges against Kalshi for accepting various bets, including state election wagers, without a license, highlighting the increasing legal risks the company faces in the wake of regulatory scrutiny.
- Regulatory Disputes: Multiple states, including Michigan and Massachusetts, have initiated civil lawsuits against Kalshi, aiming to halt its operations or compel compliance with gambling license requirements, reflecting the ongoing battle over regulatory authority in prediction markets.
- Legal Strategy: Kalshi has preemptively sued to prevent punitive actions from other states, although Arizona's Attorney General described this as
See More
