Next Day Prep #265: The Paradox: Record Highs vs. Historic Low Sentiment – Friday 5/22/2026

Episode summary

Despite the Dow hitting an all-time high, consumer sentiment has crashed to record lows, creating a unique market paradox. We analyze why the ‘Cautious’ regime held firm, how hardware stocks like Dell and HP outperformed AI giants, and the defensive playbook for the holiday-shortened week.