John Hancock 529 Enrollment-Based Portfolio Q1 2026 Commentary (JENFX)
John Hancock Investment Management·2026-06-15·via All Articles on Seeking Alpha
Summary
U.S. stocks returned -4.33% in the first quarter as concern about the viability of artificial intelligence-related investments began to surface and conflict in the Middle East took center stage.
Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, sending the price of crude oil soaring to as high as $120 per barrel, following the closing of the Strait of Hormuz.
Software and services firms were particularly weak amid concern about industrywide disruption from AI, while energy stocks gained 38% and led the market amid the spike in oil prices.
John Hancock Freedom 529's structural inclusion and tactical overweight of real assets via the Real Assets Fund (T. Rowe Price) was a strong contributor to relative performance.
International Growth Fund (John Hancock) served as a contributor to performance, aided by stock selection in the information technology sector.
Ibrahim Akcengiz/iStock via Getty Images
Highlights
Although U.S. stocks began the year with positive momentum, they declined in Q1, as the conflict in the Middle East took center stage.
Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, sending the
