Indexed Return of Cyclicals vs. Defensives and Consensus Forward 4-Quarter U.S. GDP Growth The combination of strong earnings growth, a more favorable geopolitical environment, and supportive technical indicators has led to a significant upward revision in equity market growth expectations for 2025. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Nominal 10-Year U.S. Treasury Yield and Indexed Return of Cyclicals vs. Defensives Higher growth expectations raise bond yields because investors demand greater compensation for potential inflation and uncertainty about future interest rates. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Cyclical Minus Defensive Sectors Positioning The cyclical-minus-defensive sectors positioning at the 24th percentile indicates a defensive market stance, with investors heavily favoring sectors less sensitive to the economic cycle. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation
Valuation – Shiller Cyclically Adjusted Price/Earnings Ratio Higher inflation and lower corporate profitability structurally undermine the sustainability of U.S. equity valuations. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Cyclicals vs. Defensives Performance Cyclical sectors’ strong performance suggests economic optimism, but investors must be cautious about potential overvaluation and risks, especially when buying cyclical stocks late in the economic cycle. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Indexed Return of Cyclicals vs. Defensives ex. Commodities and ISM Manufacturing Index U.S. equity sector rotations are pricing in a “no landing” economic scenario, where the U.S. economy avoids both recession and significant slowdown, maintaining steady growth instead. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Performance – Cyclicals Outperformance Following the election, U.S. cyclical stocks have significantly outperformed, reflecting investor optimism about the new administration’s pro-growth policies and economic resilience. Image: Morgan Stanley Research
MSCI Cyclicals/Defensives Return During anticipated economic expansions, investors lean towards cyclical stocks for their growth potential, while defensive stocks serve as a buffer during economic downturns. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
U.S. Stocks – Cyclicals vs. Defensives Investor sentiment is often reflected in the performance of cyclicals versus defensives. Typically, expectations of economic growth lead to a preference for cyclicals, resulting in their outperformance relative to defensives. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Stocks – Cyclicals vs. Defensives Cyclicals and defensives are useful indicators of investor sentiment. As investors expect economic contractions, they often shift towards defensives, resulting in their outperformance compared to cyclicals. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Hedge Funds’ Cyclical vs. Defensive Positioning During economic expansion, investors favor cyclicals over defensives. The current low hedge fund exposure to cyclical vs. defensive sectors may present a potential opportunity for contrarian investors. Image: BofA Global Research