For the remainder of 2006, let's look at the things that are more than likely to hit the markets.
1) Fed rates: as always, this had been the biggest issue all year, especially with the market anticipating Bernake's last rate pause. But whether or not it's done with is still a big question mark. Over the remainder of the months, focus on indicators like CPI, quarterly growth, GDP, consumer spending, etc.; clues to whether rates will stay paused or continues upwards.
2) Housing: the housing market has been dropping, already down 20% from their highs. This factor is also inter-related with the Fed Rates, with an inverse-relationship. Of course, there is normally a log between housing figures and rate hikes, haults or declines.
3) Congressional election: empirically, stocks have tended to bottom in the months just before congressional elections. Hence, with ours coming up very shortly, months like September and October could show such signs of worry.
4) Oil prices — war in Iraq and threat from Iran have continued to keep crude prices up. Since the beginning of the year, prices have already been up 11%. Again there is a lag, but oil prices effect consumer spending as well as company bottom-lines; all in all, the economy.
Keep an eye on these. In general the market seems to be optimistic for the remainder of the year, but of course, the world's never perfect.