Fed Funds vs. 2-Year U.S. Treasury Yield (Leading Indicator) The current 2-year U.S. Treasury yield, sitting below the fed funds rate, indicates that the Fed’s monetary policy is restrictive. Historically, the 2-year yield tends to lead the fed funds rate by approximately 20 weeks. Image: Bloomberg
ISABELNET Cartoon of the Day Bulls are gearing up for a bear hunt in 2025, armed with bullish forecasts that suggest the S&P 500 could well surpass 6,500. Have a Great Day, Everyone! 😎
S&P 500 Returns Final Six Months When Up >10% at Midpoint of Year Bulls are smiling again, as December has been the cheerleader of the U.S. stock market since WWII—always positive in election years when the S&P 500 is up 10% or more at the midpoint! Image: Carson Investment Research
ISABELNET Cartoon of the Day With the S&P 500 hitting a new all-time high, bears are looking for a pardon! It’s already Wednesday, Happy “Hump” Day, Everyone! 🐫🐪😎
Inflation – U.S. Core PCE Deflator The recent stalling of disinflationary progress in U.S. core PCE deflator could complicate the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decisions. Image: Deutsche Bank
U.S. Tech Stocks vs. China Tech Stocks As the U.S. market experiences an AI frenzy, China’s major technology stocks struggle, reflecting investor pessimism towards China’s economic revival efforts and concerns about AI monetization and trade restrictions. Image: Bloomberg
S&P 500 Return – Year 3 of Bull Market Like a kid who loses interest in his favorite toy after two years, the S&P 500 tends to slow down in the third year of a bull market. Its gains often become less impressive compared to the first two years. Image: MarketDesk
ISABELNET Cartoon of the Day In a bull market, asking a bear how to make more money is like asking a cat to take a bath—neither is likely to cooperate, especially with the U.S. stock market hitting record highs! Have a Great Day, Everyone! 😎
S&P 500 Performance After Major Milestone Levels Are Hit Market optimism is so high, even bears are buying “Bull Market 2025” t-shirts, as the S&P 500 index has consistently risen in the six months following a significant milestone, with an above-average return of 7.7% since 1928. Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 Ratio to Stoxx 600 The S&P 500’s performance relative to the Stoxx 600 has hit the upper limit of its long-term channel. While U.S. equities may continue to lead due to strong growth potential, economic shifts could alter this trend. Image: Deutsche Bank
Annual Performance of S&P 500 With a year-to-date return of 26.47%, the S&P 500 index has delivered remarkable gains in 2024, ranking it among the best performances of the century. Image: Bloomberg