2026 Stock Market Predictions: Small-Cap Stocks to Rise
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 04 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Small-Cap Surge: In 2026, small- and mid-cap stocks are expected to take the lead, with Mirum Pharmaceuticals nearly doubling its share price in 2025, indicating strong potential for small-cap investments in the upcoming year.
- AI Investment Returns: While some predict an AI bubble burst, a shift from hype to tangible returns is anticipated in 2026, with Alphabet's Google Cloud expected to gain traction, particularly as customers opt for its TPUs over Nvidia's GPUs.
- Renewable Energy Rebound: Despite reduced support from the Trump administration, stocks like Brookfield Renewable and Clearway Energy are predicted to continue rising in 2026, driven by strong AI growth and increased energy demand for data centers.
- Midterm Election Impact: The 2026 midterm elections are likely to introduce market volatility, as historically seen, and if Democrats regain control of Congress, it could influence stock performance, particularly for cannabis-related companies like Green Thumb Industries and Trulieve Cannabis.
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Analyst Views on CWEN
Wall Street analysts forecast CWEN stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CWEN is 39.29 USD with a low forecast of 34.00 USD and a high forecast of 50.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
7 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 36.950
Low
34.00
Averages
39.29
High
50.00
Current: 36.950
Low
34.00
Averages
39.29
High
50.00
About CWEN
Clearway Energy, Inc. is the owner of clean energy generation assets. It invests in energy infrastructure and focuses on investments in clean energy and owns sustainable and long-term contracted assets across North America. Its portfolio comprises approximately 12.7 gigawatts (GW) of gross capacity in 27 states, including 9.9 GW of wind, solar, and energy storage and over 2.8 GW of dispatchable power generation providing critical grid reliability services. Its operating facilities include Carlsbad, El Segundo, GenConn Devon, GenConn Middletown, Marsh Landing and Walnut Creek. Its utility-scale solar projects include Agua Caliente, Alpine, Avenal, Avra Valley, Blythe, Daggett 3, Desert Sunlight 250, Kansas South, and others. Its wind projects include Black Rock, Buffalo Bear, Cedro Hill, and others. It also operates the 137-megawatt (MW) Tuolumne Wind Project in Klickitat County, Washington and the 109 MW Catalina Solar facility in Kern County, California.
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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