3 Ways to Prepare Your Portfolio for the Second Half of 2026

In just the past week, three major developments have dramatically reshaped the investment landscape for the second half of 2026. Every investor will be affected, but the good news is that there's still time to make adjustments to your portfolio.

Here are the three big pieces of news, how they're likely to affect the stock market, and how you can prepare your portfolio for July and beyond.

The SpaceX IPO

Image source: Getty Images.

The June 12 IPO of Space Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ: SPCX), or SpaceX, was the most hotly anticipated in years, and the company's stock is up about 23% from its debut price of $150 per share. SpaceX allocated more than 20% of the IPO shares for individual investors, and that tranche of IPO shares was heavily oversubscribed, presaging the high market demand.

Later this year, two more blockbuster IPOs are expected: AI companies Anthropic and OpenAI have both confidentially submitted draft S-1 prospectus forms to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the first step toward an IPO. If anything, these may be even bigger than the SpaceX IPO, and interested investors may want to begin building a cash position now or at least identify what positions they might sell to free up money to buy shares of one or both of the AI giants.

The Strait of Hormuz is open

With the signing of a 60-day memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran late on June 17, the Strait of Hormuz has opened to shipping traffic, restarting the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to international markets. While a final, long-term deal has yet to be negotiated, the reopening of the Strait has had an immediate impact on oil prices. Brent Crude is trading below $80 a barrel, compared to $111 a barrel a month ago.

It will take some time for U.S. consumers to see the lower oil prices reflected at the pump, but investors who moved away from fuel-price-sensitive investments like airlines and shipping companies may want to reconsider them in light of the likely impending easing of fuel prices.

Image source: Getty Images.

The Fed signals higher rates

A unanimous Federal Open Market Committee issued a statement on June 17 that read, in part: "Inflation remains elevated relative to the Committee's 2 percent goal, in part reflecting supply shocks that have driven price increases in certain sectors, including energy. The Committee will deliver price stability."

Observers took that as a signal that the Fed will likely raise rates at least once, if not twice, during the second half of the year to tame inflation.

Higher interest rates tend to disadvantage smaller, high-growth stocks because they increase the cost of borrowing, disproportionately affecting smaller companies with lower cash flow and leaner balance sheets.

Investors may want to check their portfolios to make sure they're not overly exposed to small-cap growth stocks. If they are, they may want to consider shifting some capital into more stable market sectors.

Of course, The Motley Fool always recommends investing for the long term. But even long-term investors should regularly reevaluate their holdings in the wake of major market events. With three such events happening in the past week, now's the perfect time to make sure your portfolio is ready for the second half of 2026.

John Bromels has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.