State of Congressional Trading: Q1 2026
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Trades disclosed | 3,247 | +15% vs Q4 |
| Technology sector | 28% | Most traded |
| Est. transaction volume | $2.1B | +22% vs Q4 |
| Congressional alpha | +8.2% | vs S&P 500 |
Executive Summary
In the first quarter of 2026, members of Congress disclosed approximately 3,247 stock transactions — a 15% increase from Q4 2025. The surge in activity was concentrated in the technology sector, which accounted for 28% of all trades, driven by AI-related stocks including NVIDIA (NVDA), Palantir (PLTR), and C3.ai (AI).
According to Seentio's analysis, the aggregate portfolio of active congressional traders returned an estimated 8.2% in Q1 2026, outperforming the S&P 500's 5.1% return over the same period. This "congressional alpha" of 3.1 percentage points is consistent with historical patterns where congressional traders have shown sector-timing advantages, particularly in technology and defense.
Notable activity included Nancy Pelosi's 6 transactions — all purchases — including positions in Amazon ($500K-$1M), Alphabet ($500K-$1M), and Vistra Energy ($100K-$250K). Defense sector trading increased 40% quarter-over-quarter, concentrated among members of the Armed Services and Appropriations committees.
Most Active Congressional Traders
Ranked by career transaction count as tracked by Seentio:
| Rank | Member | Chamber | Career Trades |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Perdue | Former Senator (R-GA) | 2,597 |
| 2 | Thomas Carper | Former Senator (D-DE) | 877 |
| 3 | Sheldon Whitehouse | Senator (D-RI) | 687 |
| 4 | Pat Roberts | Former Senator (R-KS) | 460 |
| 5 | Susan Collins | Senator (R-ME) | 442 |
| 6 | Gilbert Cisneros | Representative (D-CA) | 301 |
| 7 | Kelly Loeffler | Former Senator (R-GA) | 279 |
| 8 | Jim Inhofe | Former Senator (R-OK) | 227 |
| 9 | John Hoeven | Senator (R-ND) | 225 |
| 10 | Ron Wyden | Senator (D-OR) | 222 |
Source: Seentio analysis of SEC EFTS filings. Career totals as of March 31, 2026.
Sector Breakdown: Q1 2026
| Sector | Share | Trades |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | 28% | 909 |
| Healthcare | 18% | 584 |
| Financial Services | 14% | 455 |
| Defense & Aerospace | 11% | 357 |
| Energy | 9% | 292 |
| Consumer Cyclical | 8% | 260 |
| Other | 12% | 390 |
Spotlight: Nancy Pelosi's Q1 2026 Trades
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi disclosed 6 transactions in Q1 2026, all purchases. The disclosures, filed on January 16, 2026, included significant positions in large-cap technology and energy companies:
| Ticker | Type | Amount Range | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB | Purchase | $1,000,001 - $5,000,000 | Jan 16, 2026 |
| GOOGL | Purchase | $500,001 - $1,000,000 | Jan 16, 2026 |
| AMZN | Purchase | $500,001 - $1,000,000 | Jan 16, 2026 |
| VST | Purchase | $100,001 - $250,000 | Jan 16, 2026 |
| TEM | Purchase | $50,001+ | Jan 16, 2026 |
Source: SEC EFTS filings via Seentio. View Nancy Pelosi's full trading dashboard
Methodology
This report analyzes congressional stock trading activity using data from the SEC's Electronic Filing and Tracking System (EFTS), aggregated and normalized by Seentio. Transaction counts include all securities transactions (purchases, sales, and exchanges) disclosed via Periodic Transaction Reports (PTRs) by members of the 119th Congress.
"Congressional alpha" is calculated as the difference between the aggregate return of all disclosed congressional stock positions (weighted by disclosed amount range midpoints) and the S&P 500 total return over the same period. This metric is an estimate — the STOCK Act requires disclosure of amount ranges, not exact dollar values.
Sector classifications are based on the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) as reported by EODHD for each ticker. All data is sourced from public SEC filings and is available for verification on Seentio's Congress Stock Tracker.