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Experts at Bank of America think we’re in a 'run-it-hot' economy — and these stocks stand out

Analysts have shared their outlook on stocks that will be in focus for 2026.
PUBLISHED JAN 8, 2026
Representative image of traders on the floor of NYSE (Cover Image Source: Getty Images/Photo by Michael M. Santiago)
Representative image of traders on the floor of NYSE (Cover Image Source: Getty Images/Photo by Michael M. Santiago)

The outlook for the U.S. economy for the new year looks largely positive with several tailwinds set to boost income, bring down inflation, and reduce uncertainty in the markets. According to Bank of America analysts, banking stocks are set to emerge as some of the most attractive in what economists dubbed the "Run It Hot" economy. Apart from banking, the investment research firm, CFRA, has named a few tech stocks to benefit the most as well.

Image Source:  Getty Images | Photo by Justin Sullivan
Representative image of the Bank of America logo (Image Source: Getty Images / Photo by Justin Sullivan)

While the GDP grew by a bumper 4.3% in the third quarter of 2025, the trend is expected to continue into 2026, with the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts, easing regulations, increased tax refunds for consumers, and ample credit availability. Amid the positivity, the banking stocks have rallied, posting astonishing numbers. One of the world's largest banks and financial services companies, JPMorgan Chase has roughly $4 trillion in assets. The firm reported a 9% revenue growth in the third quarter of 2025, and its net income also grew by a strong 12%, as per US News, with roughly $4 trillion in assets. Over the past six months, JP Morgan shares rallied 14.8% compared with the S&P Index’s gain of 15.7%, reaching an all-time high of $334.80 last month, as per Investing.com

Image Source: A general view of the London offices of the JP Morgan Chase & Co financial company | Photo by Leon Neal | Getty Images
Representative image of the general view of the London offices of the JP Morgan Chase & Co financial company (Image source: Getty Images/ Photo by Leon Neal)

At the same time, stocks of Bank of America BAC and Citigroup were up 19.5% and 44.5%, respectively, marking a milestone for the latter. Citigroup posted a 70% return in 2025, with its shares trading above book value, at about 1.1 times. This was the first time since 2008 that the firm's stock entered a year trading at such a high, as per FactSet data reported by the Wall Street Journal. Another big bank to look out for is Morgan Stanley (MS). The firm reported 18% revenue growth in the third quarter, including a notable 25% year-over-year improvement in trading revenue. As per Simply Wallet, the stock of the firm last closed at $187.75, with total returns of 4.8% over 7 days, and 52.1% over 1 year.

Morgan Stanley headquarters in New York City | Getty Images | Photo by Mario Tama
Morgan Stanley headquarters in New York City (Image source: Getty Images/Photo by Mario Tama)

Apart from banking, the most obvious stock to bet on in the tech industry is Nvidia Corp (NVDA). The high-end semiconductor maker Nvidia has posted the most spectacular growth stories in the past 15 years, as its revenue grew by 62% year over year in the fiscal third quarter, while net income went up by 65%, as per the CFRA. The firm's analyst, Angelo Zino, told US News that it has put a "strong buy" rating on the stock with a price target of $270, with the company projecting a 63.1% revenue growth in the coming year.

Image Source: Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Adam Selipsky and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang announce an expanded generative AI collaboration during AWS re: Invent 2023, a conference hosted by Amazon Web Services| Photo by Noah Berger | Getty Images for Amazon Web Services
IAmazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Adam Selipsky and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang announce an expanded generative AI collaboration during AWS re: Invent 2023 (Image source: Getty Images/ Photo by Noah Berger)

Apart from Nvidia, the CFRA has put a "buy" rating on Broadcom (AVGO) as well, owing to its 74% growth in AI infrastructure investment. Furthermore, another key player in the semiconductor space, Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD), also posted a 61% net income growth in the third quarter, earning a "strong buy" rating from the firm.

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