The Nasdaq-100 Had Its Worst Week in 18 Months. History Says the Following Year Has Usually Been Strong.

The Nasdaq-100 experienced its worst week in 18 months, dropping 5.5% in the week ending October 16, 2026, driven by semiconductor stock declines and AI spending concerns. Historical analysis shows that since 2010, the QQQ ETF has climbed in the following year after 25 of 26 similar drops with a median gain of 22%. However, the full record dating back to 1999 is less reassuring, with only 66% of drops followed by gains, largely due to the dot-com bust period when no qualifying weeks were followed by gains.