Philenews

Billionaires Missed the Mark on Wall Street's Performance

Published January 5, 2026, 10:20
Billionaires Missed the Mark on Wall Street's Performance

A recent survey revealed that most billionaires underestimated the performance of Wall Street in 2025. While the S&P 500 rose by 16%, an above-average return but lower than previous years, nearly half of the billionaires surveyed predicted either stagnation or a decline. Only 21% accurately forecast the range of the increase (10%-20%). Investor Samir Mane, who correctly predicted the performance, attributed his success to his optimism about artificial intelligence, which drove significant gains for companies like Alphabet and Nvidia. According to JPMorgan, AI accounted for approximately 75% of the S&P 500's total return. Other billionaires who made accurate predictions included Larry Connor, Joe Kiani, and David Hoffmann. Conversely, 35% incorrectly predicted a market downturn, with a smaller percentage (9%) forecasting a major 'crash'.