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Analysts have done something unusual this quarter.

Instead of trimming their fourth quarter forecasts like normal, they've actually raised them.

But the upgrade isn't spread evenly across the economy.

Only three of the 11 major sectors have seen estimates move higher — technology, financials, and energy.

It's no shock that tech is still out in front, with AI once again doing most of the heavy lifting for the economy and the stock market.

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Next up.

After inking an AI deal with Apple, Alphabet caught investors' eyes and swiftly joined the $4 trillion club.

Earlier this week, Alphabet confirmed a deal to power Apple's AI features, like Siri, for years to come.

It's another boost to Alphabet's growing hold over the AI supply chain.

See, the firm does more than most of its rivals, training its own models, designing its own chips, and running its own data centers.

All of that gets fed directly into Alphabet's ads, cloud products, and everyday devices.

You'd be forgiven for thinking this is a completely different Alphabet to the one investors were doubting just a year ago, fearing new AI tools would eat into Google's search dominance and the firm's share price.

Alphabet's hot start to 2026 comes on top of last year's 65% rally, the strongest showing of the Magnificent Seven.

Even so, the shares still trade cheaper than many peers, which could help explain why Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway quietly took a stake last November, a rare tech bet for the firm.

Alphabet's latest Gemini AI models have proven good enough to tempt users away from OpenAI's chat GPT, and the big tech firm has the money to keep pushing its lead.