Apart from AI, what else is worth buying in the US stock market? Citrini points out 5 overlooked sectors.

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As AI trades become increasingly crowded, research institute Citrini Research is advising investors to pay attention to five low-profile sectors that have long been overlooked by the market, believing these areas possess upside potential that could exceed expectations.

In a report released Wednesday, Citrini warned that in recent years, almost all investor attention has been concentrated on the AI theme. "The risk of ‘AI fatigue’ is rising, and there’s a high probability that funds will rotate into areas that seem to have been ignored." The firm is turning its attention to five sectors: aviation, senior housing, live events, financial exchanges, and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), arguing that these are “narratives in the radar blind spot” capable of delivering positive surprises.

These views come as the US tech sector is buoyed by Micron’s strong earnings report, with Nasdaq futures up over 2%. However, Citrini’s core logic is: when mainstream funds are crowded into a single trade, neglected sectors often provide a higher risk-reward ratio.

Aviation: Oil prices cooling alongside World Cup effect

Citrini lists airlines as the first theme to watch, with the core logic supported by two factors: capacity constraints and recovering travel demand.

The firm points out that as World Cup fans share positive perceptions of the US on social media, enthusiasm for traveling to the US is clearly heating up. “As oil prices normalize, we believe inbound travel to the US will see continued momentum,” which in turn should drive an upward cycle for airline stocks.

Senior housing: Supply-demand gap widens profit margins

The aging population is creating structural opportunities for the senior housing sector. This year, the oldest members of the US Baby Boomer generation are turning 80, and demand-side pressures continue to rise.

Data shows that in Q1 this year, US senior housing occupancy rates reached 89.5%, marking the 19th consecutive quarter of sequential increases, while supply is showing clear signs of contraction.

Citrini emphasized that the marginal gains from rising occupancy rates are “extremely high in profit margin and very significant in impact.”

Live events: Real-life experiences as scarce premium

Citrini believes that “physical presence has become a luxury,” with sports and various in-person events benefiting from consumers’ craving for authentic experiences, thereby driving stronger monetization ability — covering in-person attendance, premium upgrades, and sponsorship promotions.

Financial exchanges: Short the incumbents, long the disruptors

In the financial exchanges sector, Citrini is taking a somewhat hedged approach—shorting current monopolists while buying emerging challengers.

The firm notes that a milestone change in March 2026—S&P Dow Jones Indices authorizing the launch of 24/7 perpetual stock index futures—marks "the end of CME’s monopoly." Based on this, Citrini suggests shorting established exchanges like CME (CME), Cboe (CBOE), and ICE (ICE), while buying upstart share takers such as Robinhood (HOOD) and Coinbase (COIN), as well as S&P Global (SPGI), which collects index licensing fees.

Buy Now Pay Later: A misunderstood business model

Citrini is defending the BNPL industry, directly refuting pessimistic claims that it's "the next domino to fall," and arguing that such judgments are the result of a “fundamental misunderstanding” of the business model.

The firm explains that under US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), BNPL lenders are required to provision for credit losses upfront while revenue is recognized over the life of the loan in installments. This accounting treatment makes the financials appear conservative on the surface but does not indicate fundamental deterioration.

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