2026 Policy Forecasts: Special Situations
Welcome to Capstone’s annual forecast of unappreciated policy and regulatory themes companies, investors, and, industries should expect to play out over the course of the year in the special situations sector.
The Handshake Economy: Winners, Losers, and the Politics of 2026 M&A
Capstone expects the Trump administration to maintain a permissive stance on merger reviews, with most transactions ultimately approved unless they pose clear and unresolvable competitive harm from excessive consolidation. We see few deals at risk of being blocked, and believe appeals aligned with administration priorities could outweigh concerns regulators might otherwise emphasize.
The FCC’s Green Light: The Pro-Merger Era Continues
Capstone expects the Republican-led Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to continue rolling back regulations and take a more welcoming approach to mergers in 2026. The agency is also likely to use its broad authority over what qualifies as “in the public interest” to push companies for certain concessions during reviews. Overall, we anticipate a surge in consolidation across both broadcast media and the broadband industry through 2027.
The Budget Squeeze: When State and Local Revenue Falls and Federal Funding Disappears
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
READ MORE
Food Fights: SNAP Cuts, Trade Shocks, and the New Agricultural Order
Capstone expects US agriculture to face a difficult 2026 as farmers grapple with weak crop prices, elevated input costs, and persistent trade uncertainty. The Trump administration’s push to narrow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility—including new work requirements—introduces fresh risks for major grocers and packaged-food companies. With limited federal relief expected, producers and food retailers should prepare for tighter margins, uneven demand, and policy headwinds that will shape the sector’s performance in the year ahead.
Explore by Sector
Contact Us
