S&P 500 Price Target for 2026 Goldman Sachs still sees steady earnings growth pushing the S&P 500 up 17% to 8,000 in 2026, even as volatility is likely to remain part of the ride. Image:…

Consolidated Equity Positioning Consolidated equity positioning sits at the 53rd percentile, modestly overweight, with crowding limited and upside still intact. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation

Sentiment Indicator and Stock Positioning Goldman Sachs’ U.S. equity sentiment indicator stands at 1.5. Readings like this have historically been followed by an average 1.2% gain in the S&P 500 over the next month. Image:…

U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) and Purchasing Power Parity Valuation On key valuation metrics, the US dollar is still rich. That leaves little room for a sustained rally, especially as foreign demand has cooled since Liberation…

U.S. Equity Index P/E Valuations vs. History Risk appetite is still holding up. The Russell 2000 trades at 26 times forward earnings, versus 25 for the Nasdaq 100 and 20 for the S&P 500. It’s…

Spot Gold Gold is trading close to a seven-month low as a stronger dollar and expectations for higher-for-longer U.S. interest rates keep pressure on the metal. Image: MarketDesk Research

Announced Buybacks on Wilshire 5000 This year, announced buybacks are heading past $2 trillion, a new record. But there is a gap between what companies say and what they actually do. In practice, actual buybacks…

S&P 500 – Short Interest on the SPY and QQQ U.S. ETFs Short positions in the SPY and QQQ US ETFs remain muted, indicating limited appetite for downside speculation. The market is still more comfortable…

Consensus EPS Growth Estimates Wall Street is betting on a strong earnings tailwind, with S&P 500 profits forecast to rise 25% in 2026 and 16% in 2027. Small caps could do even better, with 39%…

Magnificent Seven Stocks vs. S&P 500 – Cumulative Revenue Growth Since 2016 Since 2016, Mag 7 revenue has climbed 375%, versus 95% for the S&P 500. Earnings tell the same story. A flow-driven pullback can…

Consumer Sentiment Index and Subsequent 12-Month S&P 500 Returns When consumer confidence sinks, stocks often rebound anyway, turning lousy sentiment into fuel for gains. It’s a classic contrarian setup: the worse the mood, the better…