VIX and S&P 500 Seasonality The VIX and the S&P 500 usually move in opposite directions. As the VIX begins its seasonal rise from late July into autumn, the S&P 500’s path tends to get…

World Portfolio / Gold – 1-Month Rolling Correlation Gold diversifies global portfolios again, acting as insurance against currency depreciation, geopolitical risk, and inflation, and as a hedge when stocks and bonds don’t move together. Image:…

EPS – GS Top-Down vs. Consensus Bottom-Up Estimates Goldman Sachs is adopting a more cautious stance than the street, expecting S&P 500 EPS to rise 24% in 2026, reaching approximately $340. That is notably below…

Share of Global Market Capitalization With just 4% of the world’s population, the United States accounts for 63% of global equity value. Foreign capital continues to pour into its innovation economy. When Wall Street moves,…

Earnings Sentiment (Analyst Upgrades Minus Downgrades Across Markets) Across markets, upgrades are still outpacing downgrades. For the S&P 500, solid earnings expectations and resilient profits are easing recession worries and lifting investor optimism. Image: Goldman…

S&P 500 – September Average Monthly Return Since 1928, September has been the only month to post an average loss, falling 1.1%, or 1.5% in midterm years. Its second half also contains the calendar’s weakest…

S&P 500 Index – Trend Channel After a relentless rally since 2009, the S&P 500’s secular bull market looks mature, the long-term trend channel signaling rising risks beneath the surface momentum. Image: Ned Davis Research

Seasonality of the VIX Index Middle East tensions, surging oil prices, higher yields and a U.S. midterm election are all flashing warning signs, but 2026 has so far defied the usual seasonal jump in volatility.…

U.S. ISM Services Prices Paid Index vs. U.S. CPI Inflation (Leading Indicator) The ISM Services Prices Paid Index, which typically leads U.S. CPI by around three months, just surged to its highest level since 2022.…

Carson Proprietary Leading Economic Index – USA Carson’s LEI shows the U.S. economy in good shape and recession risk fading, leaving bulls with room to stay bullish. Image: Carson Investment Research

Index Performance – S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Russell 2000, Mag 7, S&P 600 Since October 2025, the Mag-7 has been a drag on U.S. indices, posting gains of less than 5% as June selling picked…