Ankur Crawford, Thomas O'Halloran, and Patrick KellyAlger Funds; Lord Abbett; Akin Oyedele/Business InsiderThe stock market surged by more than 20% in 2024, surprising most strategists.Growth-focused mutual fund managers excelled, driven by investments in technology firms.They remain optimistic for 2025, despite concerns over valuations and tariff impacts.This year's 25% stock-market surge surprised most strategists, though a handful of fund managers seemed to know what was coming.An analysis of the top-performing mutual funds of 2024 found that, unsurprisingly, growth-minded managers fared best again this year.Artificial intelligence remained all the rage, as investors poured money into mega-cap technology companies like Nvidia and Alphabet that are at the forefront of this movement.