Investment expert names technology as the driver of the ‘secular’ bull market

August 8, 2026 - 05:10

Sanctuary Wealth chief investment strategist Mary Ann Bartels made the case that technology is the main engine behind what she calls a secular bull market. Appearing on a recent financial program, Bartels pointed to corporate earnings strength and the ongoing expansion of semiconductors as key reasons investors should stay constructive on equities.

Bartels argued that the current market cycle is not just another short-term rally. She believes the combination of artificial intelligence adoption, cloud infrastructure spending, and chip demand is creating a durable growth phase. In her view, this is similar to past technological shifts, like the internet boom in the late 1990s, but with more mature balance sheets and better cash flows this time around.

She also noted that earnings revisions have been consistently positive, especially for large-cap tech names. Even with high valuations in some pockets, Bartels said the earnings power justifies the multiples. She warned against sitting on the sidelines waiting for a big pullback, since secular trends tend to grind higher over time.

The strategist did acknowledge risks, including interest rate uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. But she stressed that technology spending is now so embedded in the broader economy that any slowdown would likely be shallow. For investors, her advice is to stay invested, keep a diversified portfolio, and let the compounding effect of tech-led earnings do the heavy lifting.