MARKET CALL: Don't Cry For Him, Venezuela

We expected the first half of 2026 to be volatile for stocks. It's only January 4, and we can add Venezuela to our list of unsettling developments. Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan president captured by the United States on Saturday, is being held in a notorious Brooklyn jail. President Donald Trump said the US will "run" Venezuela. The geopolitical fallout could be troublesome. The Chinese government might increase the heat on Taiwan. Russia might be less inclined to end the war in Ukraine. On Friday morning, Trump said the US is "locked and loaded" as he warned Iran not to kill peaceful protesters in Tehran as nationwide unrest unfolded.

Head-spinning stuff, for sure! However, geopolitical crises tend to create buying opportunities for stock investors. There may be a few such opportunities this year.