Category: Blog

U.S. Net Margin Debt So far, U.S. margin debt as a share of market capitalization remains elevated, which reflects ongoing confidence in the market. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research

U.S. Households’ Allocation to Equity, Bond and Cash Americans’ love for stocks has driven household equity allocations to historic highs, increasing wealth but also sparking concerns about market stability and the risks of shifting investor sentiment. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research

WTI Oil Prices While oil prices remain highly sensitive to geopolitical risks, particularly in regions like the Middle East, the market has so far avoided the kind of sustained shock that would trigger broader inflation. Image: Deutsche Bank

YTD Cumulative Global Fund Flows into U.S. Equities Despite some volatility and brief periods of outflows, flows into U.S. equities in 2025 have been running above the 24-year average, with projections pointing to a record year for inflows. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research

U.S. Inflation Expectations U.S. inflation expectations have declined over the past month, making consumers more optimistic than in April. However, sentiment is still weaker than six months ago, with uncertainty persisting due to ongoing tariff policies. Image: Yahoo Finance

Breakdown of Household Equity and Mutual Fund Ownership by Wealth Percentile Stock ownership in the U.S. is increasingly concentrated—the wealthiest 1% currently holds 51% of total household equity assets. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research

S&P 500 Various Declines per Year Market fluctuations are normal in investing, so effectively understanding and managing volatility is crucial for investors aiming to achieve favorable returns in financial markets. Image: Carson Investment Research

Gold – Composition of Global Official Reserves Driven by record central bank purchases and a sharp rise in price, gold has surpassed the euro as the world’s second-largest reserve asset. Image: Financial Times

Developed Market Valuations While the macroeconomic outlook has weakened, the U.S. stock market’s forward P/E ratio has moved back toward pre-Liberation Day levels. Image: TS Lombard

Brent Crude Oil Prices – Biggest Weekly Jumps Fueled by a sudden escalation in Middle East conflict and concerns over major supply disruptions, Brent crude oil prices experienced one of their biggest weekly gains since 1988. Image: Deutsche Bank

AAII U.S. Investor Sentiment Bearish Readings While AAII U.S. investor pessimism has eased to a 20-week low, bearish sentiment remains modestly elevated relative to historical averages, indicating that caution lingers even as market conditions improve. Image: The Daily Shot