Citigroup strategist: US fourth-quarter performance is solid, raising US stock expectations above market consensus.

A strategist from Citigroup said that following the strong performance of US stocks in the fourth quarter, based on earnings expectations and market breadth expansion, US stocks are expected to have a positive trend this year. The team led by Scott Chronert pointed out that the good earnings in the fourth quarter and the accelerating growth in sales further supported their annual view above the market's general expectations. The team stated that the earnings expectations at the index level for the full year of 2026 remain stable, which is a positive signal. "Given the high weight of the technology sector's expected growth path, the impact of artificial intelligence on index earnings estimates remains crucial," they said.