ISM Composite Index vs. Recessions The economically weighted ISM composite index for the U.S. shows that economic activity is not booming, but does not suggest a looming recession. Image: Real Investment Advice

S&P 500 Returns After Fed Cuts Within 2% of an All-Time High When the S&P 500 is within 2% of an all-time high and the Fed cuts rates, historical data since 1980 shows that the…

VIX – Volatility Index Market confidence and complacency, spurred by expectations of Fed rate cuts and strong economic data, have pushed the VIX to its lowest level in 2025; yet, volatility may resurface before year-end.…

U.S. Core CPI and Headline Inflation Goldman Sachs projects U.S. core CPI inflation at 3.3% year-over-year by the end of 2025, factoring in tariffs, and expects it to gradually ease to 2.6% in 2026 despite…

Average Cumulative S&P 500 Total Returns – Investing on Any Day vs. Investing at New High Despite widespread investor hesitation to buy at all-time highs, data suggest that doing so generally leads to better future…

Equity Positioning and Earnings Growth Equity positioning aligns with S&P 500 Q2 2025 earnings growth and suggests further upside—if robust and resilient earnings continue and broaden across sectors. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation

Crypto Fund Flows Last week, crypto funds experienced substancial outflows, partly due to profit-taking. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation

Cross Asset Flows as a % of Assets Money market funds continue to attract strong investor interest, providing safe and profitable short-term opportunities in the current high-interest-rate environment. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation

S&P 500 Alternating Higher and Lower Days in a Row Over seven days in August, the S&P 500’s alternating higher and lower closes signal a choppy trading environment, consistent with usual seasonal patterns amid ongoing…

S&P 500 Index and Blended Forward EPS Citigroup strategists raised their year-end S&P 500 target to 6,600 points, up from 6,300, expecting that tax cuts introduced in July 2025 will counterbalance the negative impact of…

S&P 500 Net Long Futures Contracts Despite some profit-taking, asset managers and leveraged funds remain strongly net long on S&P 500 futures, signaling a positive outlook for the U.S. stock market. Image: Deutsche Bank