Sentiment Indicator and Stock Positioning At 1.7, Goldman Sachs’ U.S. Equity Sentiment Indicator looks stretched, a level that has historically been followed by an average -0.4% return in the S&P 500 over the following month. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
S&P 500 YoY EPS Growth Wall Street’s 2026 playbook is working so far, with first-quarter S&P 500 earnings on track for their fastest growth in five years. At last, the market has the profit momentum to back the hype. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Returns for Major Global Financial Assets April was a standout month for the S&P 500, which surged 10.5%, even as U.S. Treasuries came under pressure amid rising inflation concerns and fading hopes for Fed rate cuts. Image: Deutsche Bank
Median Monthly Flow into Equity Mutual Funds and ETFs as a % of Total AUM Historically, May has been the month with the largest outflows from equity mutual funds and ETFs, hardly surprising given how frequently stocks lose momentum during the month. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Net Foreign Purchases of Long-Term U.S. Securities Foreign appetite for U.S. securities is still going strong. For all the talk of a dollar exodus, the world’s money managers are behaving as if nothing has changed. Talk is cheap. Flows tell the truth. Image: Real Investment Advice
S&P 500 Performance After April >5% Since 1950, a 5%+ April rally has set the tone: May has risen 90% of the time, and the rest of the year has posted a median return of 14.1%, giving bulls a solid tailwind. Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 Returns in April With a 10.4% gain, the S&P 500 just posted its second-strongest April since 1950, a powerful boost that often spills into the rest of the year, especially alongside new highs. Image: Carson Investment Research
Valuation – MSCI World 12-Month Forward PE With global equities trading at 18.5 times forward earnings, valuations look stretched by historical standards. Not a bubble, but far from cheap. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Annual Average IPO Return During First Trading Day In 2026, U.S. IPOs rose 19% on average in their first trading session, edging above the 30-year median and delivering a solid first-day pop. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
% of Companies with Revenue Exposure to Just One Sector (TOPIX 500, MXAPJ, STOXX 600, S&P 500) The S&P 500 shows a striking level of concentration, with 61.1% of its companies relying on a single sector for revenue, leaving the index more exposed to shocks. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
WTI Oil Prices in Real Terms The 2026 oil shock looks far less dramatic in historical terms. It still bites, just not with the same force. Once you adjust for inflation and reduced energy intensity, today’s price levels compare more favourably than in 2022. Image: Deutsche Bank