U.S. equities delivered a generally positive start to 2026, with major indexes ending January modestly higher. Stock prices were supported by strong economic data enhanced by fiscal stimulus, expectations for modest monetary policy easing from the Federal Reserve, and inflation readings that continued to trend favorably. The boom in artificial intelligence (AI) spending continues, although concerns rose late in the month regarding OpenAI’s massive spending plans, which rely upon external sources of financing that may not be fully secured.