MARKET INSIGHTS

Weekly market commentary

Jan 12, 2026
  • BlackRock Investment Institute

U.S. earnings: broadening strength

Market take

Weekly video_20260112

Wei Li

Global Chief Investment Strategist, BlackRock

Opening frame: What’s driving markets? Market take

Camera frame
We just had three years of double-digit returns for S&P 500 that is quite rare and if we make it into four depends a lot on earnings. Q4 is starting to report and there are three themes on my mind.

Title slide: U.S. earnings: broadening strength

1: Catching up

The first theme is some broadening out, ie. the gap between recent earnings out performers and the rest of the market is shrinking somewhat. And here I'm referring to Mag seven and S&P 493 but also U.S. market have been leading in earnings delivery and rest of the world.

2: Mega forces support cyclical sectors

The second theme is mega forces supporting some cyclical sectors. BlackRock rolled out the framing of mega forces almost four years ago, and they have been quite helpful in understanding the markets and the economy.

If we look at AI which is one mega force, what that means for hardware and building construction and energy. If we look at energy transition which is another mega force, what that means for grid upgrades and renewable projects.

If we look at geopolitical fragmentation that is another mega force, what that means for defense spending and defense infrastructure and when we bring all of them together there are sectors, some cyclical sectors like industrials, like material industrial metals that sit at the intersection and that is quite powerful.

3: Productivity boost

The third theme is watching productivity boost appearing, starting to appear in some sectors and here the pattern for earnings that we should watch out for through the course of the year is that we start the year strong but through the course of the year analysts then guided downwards bit by bit. That pattern may still repeat but offsetting that is partially offsetting that maybe productivity boost coming through because of AI and here some sectors that we watch out for tech is of course, communications services but also healthcare. Our fundamental equity global CIO Carrie King calls healthcare the sleeper sector; many names are heavily discounted versus historical averages and at the same time, 80% of those companies are guiding upwards, so a powerful combination.

Outro: Here’s our Market take

So, the big picture is that yes, we start 2026 risk-on supported by robust earnings, supported by good growth backdrop and also central banks in particular the Fed poised to cut further. But underneath the hood there are sub themes that are playing out that are really really interesting that allow us to be active and selective.

Closing frame: Read details: blackrock.com/weekly-commentary

More resilience

U.S. corporate earnings strength is broadening. Earnings resilience and mega forces like AI keep us overweight U.S. stocks.

Market backdrop

The S&P 500 kicked off the new year on a positive note to reach a record high. U.S. Treasury yields were steady, while gold pushed back near all-time highs.

Week ahead

The December U.S. CPI will provide a clean read of the inflation picture after the government shutdown disruptions.

Solid U.S. economic growth and Federal Reserve rate cuts have boosted corporate earnings and profit margins, lifting U.S. stocks and underpinning our overweight. We think this will keep playing out in Q4 earnings results starting this week. We see three themes: a further narrowing of the earnings gap between the “magnificent seven” stocks and other sectors; mega forces supporting cyclical sectors; and AI-led productivity gains potentially offsetting typical earnings downgrades.

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Catching up
Change in earnings for the “magnificent seven” and the rest of S&P 500, 2023-26

The chart shows that earnings growth gap between the "magnificent seven" stocks and the remainder of the S&P 500 is narrowing as the broader field of equities sees earnings improve.

Forward-looking estimates may not come to pass. Source: BlackRock Investment Institute with data from Bloomberg, January 2026. Note: The bars show calendar year change in earnings for the “magnificent seven”stocks (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla) and the rest of S&P 500 companies. Shaded bars show analyst forecasts.

The U.S. corporate earnings season is key after the S&P 500 posted a third straight year of double-digit returns in 2025, while international markets from Spain to South Korea also delivered strong results. The AI buildout and easing tariff concerns kept economic growth resilient, helping U.S. earnings beat expectations in the third quarter, as we expected. We think earnings can keep delivering, partly as the U.S. stocks driving earnings growth broaden out. The gap between the magnificent seven mega cap stocks like Nvidia and the rest of the S&P 500 is narrowing as the other 493 see earnings improve – the first theme we’re watching. See the chart. Yet the magnificent seven are still delivering strong earnings growth – and have consistently beat expectations in recent years, according to Bloomberg data, so that gap may not narrow as much as the consensus implies.

We still prefer tech broadly as earnings growth looks healthy and poised to broaden, both within the U.S. and globally. S&P earnings and profit margins have also proved more resilient to tariffs than many investors expected. Consensus expectations for the magnificent seven have been revised upward to show 20% earnings growth in the fourth- quarter versus a year ago and then holding up at 19% in 2026, according to Bloomberg data. That compares with 6% for the other S&P 493 in the fourth-quarter and 15% in 2026. Such earnings strength is why U.S. tech stocks depended less on investors pricing in higher valuations for gains last year relative to Europe and other regions. From the U.S. “reciprocal tariff” lows in April, the MSCI USA slightly outperformed the MSCI index of global stocks excluding the U.S. in 2025 and outperformed the same index in local currency terms by six percentage points, according to LSEG data.

Powerful mega forces can trump the macro

Second, mega forces and lower Fed policy rates are helping boost cyclical sectors linked to stronger growth, like industrials and materials. This reinforces how we are not in a typical business cycle and mega forces are trumping the traditional macro in driving returns – one of our 2026 Global Outlook themes. Sectors including industrials and materials sit at the intersection of these mega forces: the construction and energy required in the AI data center buildout; the power grid upgrades and infrastructure investment in the energy transition; and increased defense spending tied to geopolitical fragmentation.

Our third theme: Potential productivity gains from AI could break the usual pattern of earnings estimates typically starting high and being revised down as the year progresses. We like financials in both the U.S. and Europe, with the U.S. benefitting from stronger dealmaking activity and lighter regulation. We find that financials is one of the sectors talking the most about AI productivity benefits in earnings calls. The healthcare sector is a laggard that we think is ripe for potential productivity improvements and innovation, with 80% of U.S. healthcare companies guiding earnings expectations higher, FactSet data show. We’re closely watching earnings for evidence of AI-related productivity gains and new profit pools forming.

Our bottom line

We stay overweight U.S. equities and pro-risk on the AI theme. We eye opportunities in sectors beyond tech like healthcare that benefit from AI innovation and see mega forces supporting some key cyclical sectors like industrials.

Market backdrop

The S&P 500 advanced nearly 2% to a fresh record high in the first full trading week of 2026 while European stocks outperformed. The U.S. December jobs report reinforced our view of a “no hiring, no firing” stasis in the labor market. Yet renewed wage gains could point to sticky inflation that will curb how soon the Fed might cut rates again. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields stayed in a tight range around 4.15%. Gold jumped more than 4% back to near record highs.

Attention turns to the U.S. CPI after recent U.S. data proved noisy, owing to disruptions from the government shutdown. November U.S. CPI reflected partially collected data, and no data was collected for October – making this week’s December CPI report and the following releases clearer signals for assessing inflation. Early-year CPI has been strong in recent years, so inflation could surprise to the upside and curb expectations for Fed rate cuts.

Week ahead

The chart shows that companies outside of the "magnificent seven" megacap tech stocks are seeing earnings improve and closing the earnings growth gap.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. Indexes are unmanaged and do not account for fees. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Sources: BlackRock Investment Institute, with data from LSEG Datastream as of January 8, 2026. Notes: The two ends of the bars show the lowest and highest returns at any point year to date, and the dots represent current year-to-date returns. Emerging market (EM), high yield and global corporate investment grade (IG) returns are denominated in U.S. dollars, and the rest in local currencies. Indexes or prices used are: spot Brent crude, ICE U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), spot gold, spot bitcoin, MSCI Emerging Markets Index, MSCI Europe Index, LSEG Datastream 10-year benchmark government bond index (U.S., Germany and Italy), Bloomberg Global High Yield Index, J.P. Morgan EMBI Index, Bloomberg Global Corporate Index and MSCI USA Index.

Jan. 12-19

China total social financing

Jan. 13

U.S. CPI; China trade

Jan. 14

U.S. PPI

Jan. 15

UK November GDP; U.S. Philly Fed manufacturing; U.S. trade

Read our past weekly commentaries here.

Big calls

Our highest conviction views on six- to 12-month (tactical) and over five-year (strategic) horizons, January 2026

  Reasons
Tactical  
Still favor AI We see the AI theme supported by strong earnings, resilient profit margins and healthy balance sheets at large listed tech companies. Continued Fed easing into 2026 and reduced policy uncertainty underpin our overweight to U.S. equities.
Select international exposures We like Japanese equities on strong nominal growth and corporate governance reforms. We stay selective in European equities, favoring financials, utilities and healthcare. In fixed income, we prefer EM due to improved economic resilience and disciplined fiscal and monetary policy.
Evolving diversifiers We suggest looking for a “plan B” portfolio hedge as long-dated U.S. Treasuries no longer provide portfolio ballast – and to mind potential sentiment shifts. We like gold as a tactical play with idiosyncratic drivers but don’t see it as a long-term portfolio hedge.
Strategic  
Portfolio construction We favor a scenario-based approach as AI winners and losers emerge. We lean on private markets and hedge funds for idiosyncratic return and to anchor portfolios in mega forces.
Infrastructure equity and private credit We find infrastructure equity valuations attractive and mega forces underpinning structural demand. We still like private credit but see dispersion ahead – highlighting the importance of manager selection.
Beyond market-cap benchmarks We get granular in public markets. We favor DM government bonds outside the U.S. Within equities, we favor EM over DM yet get selective in both. In EM, we like India which sits at the intersection of mega forces. In DM, we like Japan as mild inflation and corporate reforms brighten the outlook.

Note: Views are from a U.S. dollar perspective, January 2026. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon by the reader as research or investment advice regarding any particular funds, strategy or security.

Tactical granular views

Six- to 12-month tactical views on selected assets vs. broad global asset classes by level of conviction, January 2026

Legend Granular

We have lengthened our tactical investment horizon back to six to 12 months. The table below reflects this and, importantly, leaves aside the opportunity for alpha, or the potential to generate above-benchmark returns – especially at a time of heightened volatility.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Note: Views are from a U.S. dollar perspective. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast or guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon as investment advice regarding any particular fund, strategy or security.

Euro-denominated tactical granular views

Six to 12-month tactical views on selected assets vs. broad global asset classes by level of conviction, January 2026

Legend Granular

We have lengthened our tactical investment horizon back to six to 12 months. The table below reflects this and, importantly, leaves aside the opportunity for alpha, or the potential to generate above-benchmark returns – especially at a time of heightened volatility.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Note: Views are from a euro perspective, January 2026. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast or guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon as investment advice regarding any particular fund, strategy or security.

Meet the authors
Wei Li
Global Chief Investment Strategist – BlackRock Investment Institute
Carrie King
Global Chief Investment Officer, Fundamental Equities – BlackRock
Bruno Rovelli
Chief Investment Strategist for Italy – BlackRock Investment Institute
Natalie Gill
Portfolio Strategist – BlackRock Investment Institute