Forget The Fed and Buy This Dividend Stock for 2026

Group 1: Federal Reserve Policy - The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates by 25 basis points in December, marking its third consecutive cut, despite inflation remaining above the 2% target [1][2] - A cooling labor market and leading indicators suggest a slowdown in the U.S. economy, supporting the case for a rate cut [1] Group 2: Impact on Banking Sector - Banks are significantly affected by the Fed's policies, particularly regarding their net interest margin (NIM) and overall business performance [3] - Citigroup (C) stock is identified as a strong buy for 2026, having increased nearly 53% this year, outperforming the KBW Bank Invesco ETF (KBWB) [3] Group 3: Citigroup's Performance and Strategy - Citigroup's dividend yield stands at 2.1%, which is higher than most large-cap banking peers, despite a narrowing gap due to the stock's outperformance [4] - Citigroup has undergone a significant turnaround under CEO Jane Fraser, focusing on reducing complexity and improving efficiency by flattening its organizational structure and exiting consumer banking in several international markets [6]