Oil Prices and Events Higher oil prices function like a tax, reducing disposable income and increasing business costs, which can slow growth or cause recessions. However, these spikes are typically brief as demand falls and…

Aggregate Financial Asset Allocation Among Households, Mutual Funds, Pension Funds, and Foreign Investors Investor allocation to equities has reached an all-time high, driven by retail enthusiasm and strong performance. However, rising valuations and concentrated leadership…

Valuation – S&P 500 CAPE Ratio with 10-Year Total Returns Valuations don’t matter—until they do. Over the past 150 years, high valuations have been a sign of poor forward returns, with negative real returns over…

Share of Top 5 Companies by Market Capitalization in the S&P 500 The U.S. equity market is highly concentrated in just a few mega-cap tech companies. While this does not definitively mean the U.S. is…

Valuation – PEG Ratio between U.S. and Europe The widening PEG ratio gap indicates that European stocks are trading at cheaper growth-adjusted valuations compared to U.S. stocks, supported by improving earnings growth prospects in Europe.…

U.S. Stock Market – Margin Debt and Free Cash Balances The current record margin debt, exceeding $1 trillion, signals heightened investor risk-taking and confidence; however, if the market falters, this elevated leverage could amplify volatility…

Top 10 S&P 500 Returns June – August A strong summer rally, such as the one in 2025, typically signals bullish sentiment and often leads to further gains in the S&P 500 for the remainder…

Average and Median Monthly 10-Year U.S. Treasury Yield Change Since 2000 U.S. Treasury bond yields typically increase in September and October due to a surge in bond supply after the summer lull, combined with market…

S&P 500 Sectors Announced Buybacks (Last 3 Months) Over the past three months, the Financial, Industrial, and Information Technology sectors have been at the forefront of buyback announcements, driving a major portion of repurchase activity…

Global Financial Conditions Index Global financial conditions have eased to a 12-month low, supported by expectations of monetary policy easing, improved investor sentiment, tightening credit spreads, and a more stable economic outlook. Image: Goldman Sachs…

Magnificent Seven and S&P 500 – 12-Month Trailing EPS The strong earnings power and consistent profit growth of the largest U.S. companies have been key factors in maintaining their dominant positions in the U.S. equity…