U.S. Equity Valuation Metrics (Z-Score Since 1900) U.S. stocks are still priced richly, with most valuation metrics sitting more than two standard deviations above history. Cheap may be dead for now, but momentum could keep this bull market alive longer than many expect. Image: The Daily Shot
MSCI Equity Indexes, Total Return in US$ Since Trump’s inauguration, U.S. equities have lagged their global peers, with Europe ahead by 12%, Japan by 17%, and emerging markets by 27%. Image: Gavekal, Macrobond
Positions in S&P 500 Equity Futures by Asset Managers Equity positioning looks stretched. Asset managers have pushed long exposure in U.S. stock futures to its highest level, showing stronger risk appetite but also leaving the market more vulnerable if something goes wrong. Image: Bloomberg
Cumulative Global Equity Fund Flows Across Regions U.S. equity inflows are holding up well and have picked up pace in recent months, adding fuel to the market’s upward momentum. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Median Stock Return on Equity vs. P/E Valuation Profitability gaps go a long way in explaining why equity indices trade at different valuations. Companies that generate higher returns on equity typically earn richer multiples. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Cumulative Equity Flows U.S. and international equity inflows have remained robust over the past year and have accelerated in recent months, pointing to a supportive environment for further market upside. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation
S&P 500 Cyclically-Adjusted P/E Ratio (CAPE) vs. S&P 500 Return on Equity (ROE) Record profitability is helping justify elevated S&P 500 valuations, with trailing four-quarter ROE at 22%, a historic high. But if margins come under pressure and ROE slips, that support could quickly weaken. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Systematic Strategies Equity Positioning vs. S&P 500 Realized Volatility When markets are tranquil, systematic strategies tend to stay aggressively long equities to capture steady upside, a positioning that can unwind sharply when volatility comes back. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation
U.S. Equity Issuance Surge in U.S. equity issuance has a habit of picking up near tops or as the cycle begins to turn. It is more a yellow flag than a call to exit. For now, strength in large-cap earnings and narrow leadership continue to provide support. Image: Real Investment Advice
U.S. Equity Market Speculative Trading Indicator Animal spirits are building, but not yet overheating. Retail activity and Goldman Sachs’s Speculative Trading Indicator are firm, still short of past cycle peaks. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
U.S. Equity Issuance U.S. equity issuance has been strengthening since 2023, and may accelerate further in coming months if the anticipated wave of mega-IPOs materializes. The question is whether the market has the appetite to absorb such a large supply. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation