Do beginnings matter? In books and movies, the answer is a resounding "yes." Losing the reader or viewer early on usually isn't good. But what about how stocks perform at the beginning of the year? Does a rocky start have any bearing on how the stock market finishes? The answer to that question is also a resounding "yes," based on how stocks have performed in the past. I bring this up because the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is on track to finish the first quarter of 2026 in negative territory. Here's what ...