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In a move unprecedented in the Western Hemisphere in recent years, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed during a press briefing at his Mar-a-Lago residence that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have been taken into custody following a large-scale American military intervention in the region. According to Trump, both individuals will be extradited to New York, where they face charges tied to organized narcotic activity, arms trafficking, and broader threats against U.S. national security.

This military initiative targeted key military installations and command centers in Caracas and multiple Venezuelan states. Local reports confirmed widespread power outages and a significant blow to Venezuela’s already weakened defense infrastructure. Within Washington, the narrative is clear: this is an example of American efficiency in deploying force and applying pressure in regions of strategic interest.

More importantly, Trump’s remarks suggested that the U.S. intends to oversee a temporary political transition in Venezuela — effectively declaring supervisory control over the country’s leadership vacuum. Alongside this, Washington is maintaining its embargo on Venezuelan oil, while at the same time opening the door for American energy giants to re-enter and potentially dominate energy production in the region.

What makes this operation particularly significant is the financial and geopolitical backdrop linked to Venezuela's energy wealth. Despite hosting some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world, Caracas has seen its oil output shrink drastically in recent years due to sanctions and lack of investment. By inserting itself at the center of Venezuela’s political landscape, Washington now holds the keys to reviving oil operations under terms favorable to U.S. companies.

In the midterm, lifting operational restrictions and reactivating Venezuelan oil output could boost global supply—pressuring crude oil prices downward, unless disrupted by parallel supply cuts elsewhere. Strategically, this provides a dual advantage: destabilizing oil rivals like Russia and Iran while further binding oil commerce to the U.S. dollar by controlling financial gateways such as banking, settlements, and trade infrastructure.

Near-term market consequences also tilt in favor of the dollar, particularly as investors flock to safe-haven currencies amid military activity and political uncertainty. Still, this doesn’t come without cost. For nations reliant on imported energy, a combination of higher oil prices and a stronger dollar increases inflationary pressures and raises the burden of servicing dollar-denominated debt.

Should Venezuela transition from an anti-Washington bloc into a nation under direct U.S. sphere of influence, the momentum toward dedollarization in Latin America could weaken. It would also undercut alternative global payment networks promoted by countries like China and Russia, reinforcing the Petrodollar structure wherein the dollar remains the dominant currency in oil trading and reserves.

That said, global reactions will matter. The scale and tone of this operation — seen by some as a display of force to resolve resource conflicts — might prompt other nations to rethink their reserve strategies and accelerate diversification away from the dollar. While tactically the greenback may benefit, strategically it risks stirring a wave of alternatives that could gradually shift the global monetary balance.
In essence, Washington may have scored a short-term geopolitical victory, but at the cost of triggering long-term structural questions — not just in Caracas, but across capitals watching closely from Beijing to Berlin.

​According to the latest forecast by some analysts, the average target for the S&P 500 index by the end of 2026 is 7,555 points. The index price will range between 7,000 and 8,100 points, which indicates a potential growth of about 9% from current levels.

According to some forecasts, the index will reach closer to 7,700 points, which is also expected to show a growth of about 11%. At the same time, analysts have warned that the stock market may see a correction in the first half of 2026, especially if bond yields or dividends increase sharply amid concerns about overly accommodative monetary and fiscal policies.

Expectations of increased corporate earnings are considered the main source of optimism in the stock market. Wall Street analysts are suggesting that earnings per share for the S&P 500 index will reach $306 in 2026, up 12.5% ​​from the current consensus forecast of $272.

The stock's valuation dynamics are likely to remain relatively stable. The forward P/E ratio is expected to remain close to its current level of around 22 by the end of 2026.

Goldman Sachs analysts specified several key reasons for potential upward trend in US stock market, such as corporate earnings growth, including the steady expansion of the US economy, the weakness of the dollar, and increased productivity due to the application of artificial intelligence.

Beyond macroeconomic factors, the profitability of the largest companies included in the index will play a decisive role. The seven largest companies—Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Broadcom, and Meta—account for about 25% of the total growth in the S&P 500 index.

Goldman Sachs forecasts earnings per share of about $305, revenue growth of 7%, and moderate margin expansion in 2026. Much of this growth is expected to come from the largest high-tech companies, which already account for about a quarter of the index’s total growth, and are expected to grow even more as companies invest more in artificial intelligence.

Taken together, these forecasts suggest a consensus view that the stock market’s upward trend will continue through 2026, although there is also the potential for volatility.

Strategists also noted that a strong increase in investment in the artificial intelligence sector, combined with stable performance in other sectors, could trigger a sell-off of about 20% of the index's largest stocks in 2026.

The S&P 500 ended the week at 6,929.94 after closing at 1,000.94 points during the Christmas holiday week.

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