00:00America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more.
00:05More exceptional than ever before.
00:10It's been exactly one year since President Donald Trump
00:15was inaugurated, and by the numbers, markets have responded.
00:18Over the past year, U.S. stocks have delivered
00:20double-digit gains, with investors largely looking past a long list of headwinds.
00:24The economy
00:25continued to expand, supported by resilient consumer spending and steady corporate earnings.
00:30But that rally hasn't really stood out globally.
00:32U.S. stocks have lagged international peers since inauguration
00:35day, where gains have been roughly double.
00:37Even so, the performance came despite major challenges.
00:40Ongoing geopolitical tensions, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, a renewed
00:45trade war, and a tougher stance on immigration.
00:48Even so, the U.S. turned in a solid growth
00:50year for 2025, and many economists expect that to continue in 2026.
00:54So far, the new
00:55year is reinforcing that optimism.
00:56The so-called January effect, or the idea that stocks tend to rise
01:00early in the year, appears to be alive and well in 2026, particularly for small caps.
01:05But whether or not this rally has staying power might come down to earnings as fourth quarter earnings season
01:10continues.
01:11Still, it hasn't been an easy ride for everyone.
01:13American job seekers have faced a tougher
01:15labor market as tariff uncertainty disrupted hiring plans, while workers who stayed in Florida
01:20were employed, saw wage growth begin to cool.
01:22Markets may be celebrating, but for many Americans, the economic
01:25economic picture remains mixed.
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