The article discusses the potential of small-cap equities to lead the market over the next decade, with Vanguard projecting an annualized return of 5% to 7% for the U.S. small-cap sector. Despite high volatility, small caps are seen as attractive long-term investments. The S&P 500 has outperformed the Russell 2000 year-to-date, but experts like Vanguard and Fidelity see potential in small caps, especially with expected rate cuts. The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) has also shown strong performance, up 21.75% year-to-date.