30/04/2026
Why the Stock Market Can Rise While People Feel Worse Off
It feels confusing right now. You hear about job cuts, rising costs and pressure on households, but the share market keeps going up.
The reason is simple. The stock market is not the economy.
The economy is about people – jobs, wages and cost of living. The market is about company profits and what investors think those profits will be in the future. They don’t always move together.
Right now, companies are getting more efficient. AI and automation are helping businesses do more with fewer people. That can increase profits even if it means job losses. Good for markets, tough for workers.
Big companies also benefit first. The large listed businesses that dominate the market have the money and scale to invest in AI and grow. Smaller businesses and everyday workers often don’t see those benefits straight away.
The market also looks ahead. It doesn’t focus on how things feel today. It focuses on what profits might look like in the future.
What we’re starting to see is a split. Investors and people with assets benefit from growth, while some workers face job pressure or slower wage growth. AI is likely to make that gap more noticeable.
So what does this mean?
Just because things feel tough doesn’t mean markets will fall. Staying invested still matters. Your super is already invested in these markets, so you are part of it whether you realise it or not. But it also means it’s important to understand where your money is invested and how it’s positioned.
The bottom line is this. The market can do well even when people are struggling. That’s always been true, but it may become more obvious in the years ahead.
If you want to understand how your super or investments are positioned in this environment, reach out. Happy to have a chat.