CTAs Exposure to Equities Since the start of the year, CTAs have cut equity exposure to the 49th percentile, but their positioning remains solidly long, pointing to a cautious but constructive stance. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation
Long/Short Momentum Factor Returns Around 3-Month Rallies of 20%+ Goldman’s Momentum Factor has jumped over 25% in the past three months. Moves like this are rare, only 11 since 1980. The historical playbook points to consolidation, not a top. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Pullbacks and Returns a Year Off the Lows for the S&P 500 Index Based on the 4-Year Presidential Cycle Since 1950, midterm years have been the sharpest swoon of the presidential cycle, with the S&P 500 falling 17.5% on average. The flip side is striking: one year after the low, stocks have been consistently higher,…
U.S. Risk Sentiment Indicator U.S. equities have surged, but risk sentiment stays neutral, leaving room for the rally to run as many investors stay on the sidelines. Image: TS Lombard
GS Risk Appetite Indicator and U.S. Equity Momemtum 1-Year Z-Score When risk appetite and momentum run too hot, like today, future equity returns typically fade under the weight of easy optimism. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Cumulative YTD Change in Consensus 2027 EPS Estimates AI infrastructure and energy are carrying the bulk of S&P 500 EPS revisions, while the rest of the market is barely moving. Strip those sectors out and 2027 estimates are flat year to date. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
2026 S&P 500 EPS Revisions Analysts typically cut S&P 500 EPS forecasts as the fiscal year unfolds. This year is different. Estimates are moving higher, lifted by AI enthusiasm and reinforced by confident guidance. The playbook is shifting. Image: Real Investment Advice
S&P 500 Performance During Trump Years Under President Trump, the S&P 500 has often seen early-year weakness, with lows clustering in late March. If the pattern repeats, 2026 could keep climbing, despite a new Fed chair and midterm-driven volatility. Image: Carson Investment Research
Retail Share of Trading Volumes in Select U.S. Equity Index ETF Since 2021 Retail traders are piling into leveraged U.S. equity index ETFs, hardly a surprise given their long-standing appetite for leverage. The trade looks smart in the moment, until it doesn’t. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research
Cumulative Change in Consensus 2026 EPS Estimates AI infrastructure stocks have seen 2026 earnings estimates jump 55% since December 2024, versus just 7% for the broader S&P 500. Strip them out and earnings fall 1%. The concentration risk is obvious. Image: Real Investment Advice
Global Market Implied Equity Risk Premiums With equity risk premiums squeezed in the U.S. and Japan, stocks are offering little extra return over bonds, making the trade harder to justify and raising the odds of investor disappointment. Image: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research