【Citigroup: Raises Year-End Target for S&P 500 Index, Tax Cuts Expected to Offset Negative Impact of Tariffs】Golden Finance reports that Citigroup strategists have raised their target for the S&P 500 index, stating that tax cuts should offset the negative impact of tariffs on U.S. companies. A team led by Scott Chronert has increased the year-end target for the index from 6,300 points to 6,600 points, implying that the index will rise about 3% compared to last Friday's close. This quarter's earnings reports have exceeded expectations, and there is hardly any visible negative impact from tariffs on performance, driving the stock market to new highs this month. Data from institutions show that over 81% of S&P 500 constituent companies have performance that exceeded expectations, the highest level in seven quarters. The Citigroup team stated that companies are not only 'performing well' but also mostly maintaining their expectations for performance in the second half of the year. Therefore, the market consensus for earnings per share is being raised. They have raised their earnings per share forecast for S&P 500 constituent companies for 2025 from a previous $261 to $272, and for 2026 from $295 to $308. They stated that the higher earnings forecasts will not have a significant impact on valuation assumptions. They expect the index to rise to 6,900 points by mid-2026, an increase of about 8% from current levels.