📉 2026 Warning: History Says Next Year Could Be Ugly

Let me hit you with some data that's about to ruin your optimistic 2026 planning...

Going back to 1926, the S&P 500 has seen an average drawdown of 18.2% in the 12 months BEFORE midterm elections.

And 2026? That's a midterm election year.

Translation: History says there's a very real chance the market bleeds for most of next year, then recovers after the midterms in November.

Let's look at the specifics because they're even more brutal:

📊 The Historical Damage (Past 60 Years):

• Smallest pre-midterm drawdown: 7.4% (2014)

• Largest pre-midterm drawdown: 41.8% (1974)

• Average drawdown: 18.2%

After the midterms? Markets typically rip. Recovery is strong. Everyone's happy.

Before the midterms? Absolute carnage. Uncertainty. Volatility. Choppy price action that shreds momentum traders and gap-downs that destroy overleveraged positions.

🎯 What This Means for Your 2026 Trading

Here's the uncomfortable reality: If 2026 follows historical patterns, you're staring down 6-10 months of brutal drawdowns, whipsaw price action, and range-bound misery before things get good again.

That's bad if:

• You're relying on P&L gains to pay your bills

• You're trying to grow an account during max market uncertainty

• You're overleveraged and one surprise gap-down wipes you out

But it's PERFECT if:

• You're getting paid just for trading consistently (regardless of P&L)

• You're trading someone else's capital instead of your own

• You're building your edge during choppy conditions while still earning income

See where I'm going with this?

💰 Introducing: The Perfect 2026 Hedge (And It's Not Gold)

If markets are historically rough in midterm election years, the smartest move isn't avoiding trading—it's getting paid to trade even when markets suck.

That's why we just launched Lark 3.0, the biggest upgrade to our 1-Step Career Program we've ever done.

And honestly? The timing couldn't be more perfect.

🚀 What Just Changed (Everything)

We listened to your feedback. We overhauled the entire program. And it's live RIGHT NOW.

Here's what's new:

1. Base Monthly Reward Just Got Stupid Easy

❌ Old requirement: 5 profitable days at 0.5% gains
✅ New requirement: 3 profitable days at 0.5% gains

That's it.

Hit 3 winning days in a month and you qualify for up to $1,000/month —even if your account is in drawdown.

2. No More 3-Month Limit (This Is Huge)

The Base Monthly Reward used to expire after 3 months. Ridiculous, we know.

Now? It's available INDEFINITELY.

As long as you keep qualifying (3 profitable days per month), you keep getting paid. Forever.

Let that sink in: You could trade through an entire year of choppy, brutal, pre-midterm market conditions and still collect payouts every single month just for staying disciplined.

3. Journaling Requirement? Gone.

We removed the journaling requirement for Base Monthly Reward eligibility.

Want to journal? Great, do it. Don't want to? Also great, skip it.

We're not your high school English teacher. Trade how you want.

4. MASSIVE Margin Threshold Increases

This is the one everyone's been begging for:

• Forex: 50% margin (up from ~25%)

• Metals: 50% margin (up from ~25%)

• Indices: 75% margin (up from ~25%)

• Oils: 75% margin (up from ~25%)

• Crypto: 75% margin (up from ~25%)

Translation? You have WAY more breathing room before hitting margin limits. Swing trades don't get you violated. Overnight positions don't force panic closes.

📅 Why 2026 Is THE Year to Get Funded

Let's connect the dots here because this is where it all makes sense:

Historical pattern says:

• 2026 will likely see significant drawdowns (average 18.2%, possibly worse)

• Choppy, range-bound price action before November midterms

• Lower overall market gains = harder to grow accounts via P&L alone

Lark 3.0 offers:

• Monthly Base Rewards regardless of P&L (as long as you hit 3 winning days)

• Indefinite income—no expiration, no "you only get this for 3 months" nonsense

• Easier qualification—only 3 days instead of 5

• More margin flexibility to weather volatility without violations

Put it together:

While everyone else is grinding through 2026's pre-midterm chaos, bleeding capital, and praying for recovery…

You'll be collecting monthly payouts just for staying disciplined.

• Even if the market's down 15%.

• Even if volatility is insane.

• Even if your P&L is flat or negative for months.

You're still getting paid.

That's not just a trading edge—that's financial survival during the exact year when most traders get destroyed.

⏰ This Is a LIMITED-TIME Offer (Seriously)

Here's the part where I have to be the bad guy:

These upgraded terms are available NOW through December 31st ONLY.

If you purchase a 1-Step Career challenge during this period, you get grandfathered into these terms forever—even if we change them later (which we probably will because this is borderline too generous).

After December 31st? No guarantees these terms will still exist.

We might revert to 5 days. We might cap the indefinite base rewards. We might reduce margin thresholds.

Or—and this is the most likely scenario—we wake up January 2nd, look at the numbers, realize we gave away too much, and quietly pretend this promo never happened.

So if you've been on the fence about prop firms, waiting for the "right time" or the "perfect offer"…

This is it. Right now. Before 2026's pre-midterm bloodbath begins.

🎯 Here's Your Move

Step 1: Realize that 2026 could be one of the roughest trading years in recent history (thanks, midterm election patterns)

Step 2: Understand that grinding through choppy markets with your own capital and zero safety net is financial masochism

Step 3: Get funded with Lark's 1-Step Career Program before December 31st and lock in:

• 3-day qualification (instead of 5)

• Indefinite Monthly Base Reward (no 3-month expiration)

• Massive margin increases (50-75% depending on asset)

• No journaling requirement

Step 4: Trade through 2026's chaos while collecting monthly checks regardless of market conditions

Step 5: Watch everyone else panic during pre-midterm drawdowns while you're stacking salary and building your edge

Check out Lark 3.0 here → larkfunding.com

The Bottom Line:

History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes. And right now, it's rhyming with "2026 is probably going to suck until November."

You can either:

• Trade your own money and hope you survive the drawdowns

• Sit on the sidelines and watch opportunities pass

• Get funded, collect payouts, and build your career while markets do their midterm tantrum

Option 3 seems pretty obvious to me.

But what do I know? I'm just the guy looking at 100 years of data suggesting next year could be brutal and offering you a way to get paid regardless.

Your move. December 31st deadline. Don't say I didn't warn you.

See you tomorrow when we discuss literally anything other than election cycles and market patterns,

Matthew
CEO, Lark Funding
(Professional pessimist, occasional realist, full-time believer in getting paid even when markets tank)

P.S. Yes, I'm being dramatic about the December 31st deadline. But I'm also being honest—these terms are legitimately too good and we'll probably adjust them in 2026. If you've been waiting for a sign, this is it. Flashing neon. Impossible to miss.

P.P.S. "But Matt, what if 2026 doesn't follow the pattern and markets rip all year?"—Great! Then you'll collect payouts and profit splits while trading in an easier environment. You literally can't lose with this setup unless you completely ignore risk management, in which case no amount of challenges will save you.

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