Despite a strong finish for equity markets in 2025, investors navigated a series of disruptive themes throughout the year, from DeepSeek-driven volatility early on to tariffs, geopolitical conflicts, and U.S. political risk. This episode reviews the forces that shaped markets in 2025 and considers the outlook for 2026, including consumer strength, market breadth, protectionism, elevated valuations, and risks associated with rising long-term interest rates.