S&P 7000 in Sight? Bullish Analyst Fuels "Secular Bull Market" Narrative

TradingKey - Mary Ann Bartels, a seasoned strategist known as the "Wall Street Oracle," has released her mid-year outlook report, making an optimistic forecast for the long-term trajectory of U.S. stocks. She indicated that, barring any significant disruptions, the S&P 500 could rise to 7,000 points by the end of 2025, representing approximately a 12% increase from its current level (6,280).

This prediction is significantly higher than Goldman Sachs’ recently raised target of 6,600 points and stands in strong contrast to Barry Bannister from Stifel, who has a bearish outlook predicting a drop to 5,500 points.

Bartels emphasized that advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and cryptocurrency will continue to drive earnings growth in the technology sector. She stated that "the tailwind for AI is just beginning." She noted that tech giants are upgrading computing, networking, and storage infrastructure on a scale of tens of billions annually while acknowledging that the AI industry is still in its infancy.

This judgment aligns with recent earnings season performances — Q1 2025 earnings reports for U.S. stocks showed that 78% of companies exceeded market expectations, with significant contributions from the tech sector.

Bartels believes there is still room for upward revision in market expectations concerning earnings growth due to the impact of Trump-era tariffs. She is confident that as more tariff negotiations take place — combined with ongoing inflation cooling and an impending Federal Reserve rate cut cycle — conditions may become favorable for subsequent profit growth.

In summary, despite uncertainties surrounding tariff policies, Bartels maintains an optimistic view on the medium- to long-term trends of U.S. stocks.