S&P 500 Average Return in December With the holidays in sight, buyers are starting to reappear. History shows U.S. stocks often find a floor around mid-December and rally into year-end, a seasonal lift the bulls never seem to tire of. Image: Carson Investment Research
Valuation – Shiller CAPE Ratio for the S&P 500 The Shiller CAPE has pushed above 40, approaching the 44-times peak seen at the height of the dot-com frenzy. Such rich valuations have often signaled markets running hot. Image: Deutsche Bank Research
Gold vs. 1970s Gold has been shining bright, but it’s nowhere near the late-1970s gold rush. Investors might want to keep an open mind. Image: Bloomberg
Seasonality – S&P 500 Index Returns in December As the holidays approach, buyers usually return and the year-end rally tends to pick up speed in the second half of December. Historically, U.S. stocks have climbed an average of 1.4% during the month. Image: Carson Investment Research
Index Performance – S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Russell 2000, Mag 7 The broad market is quietly rotating: the S&P 500 is just below its October highs, but small caps and the average stock are outperforming, while mega-cap growth and Tech soften. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation
S&P 500 Trend Channel Valuations may look stretched, but the S&P 500 has held a steady 22.7% annualized uptrend since October 2022 and now sits near the bottom of that trend channel. Image: Deutsche Bank Asset Allocation
S&P 500 Valuation Multiples With valuations lofty and expectations running high, U.S. stocks look exposed if earnings or the economy disappoint. Image: Real Investment Advice
Stocks – Dow Jones with Major Geopolitical Events The Dow Jones closed at another record high. While the usual chorus warns of bubbles and busts, U.S. stocks keep tuning out the noise, proving once again that patience is still the strongest trade. Image: Carson Investment Research
S&P 500 and U.S. IPO Activity The IPO market is showing signs of life. A pickup in U.S. listings, paired with improving sentiment in global equities, points to a more bullish medium-term outlook for new issues. Image: Topdown Charts
S&P 500 Intra-Year Declines vs. Calendar Year Returns On average, investors stomach annual drawdowns of roughly 14%, but the S&P 500 managed to end higher in 34 of the past 45 years. Volatility, after all, is the cost of staying in the game. Image: J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Margin Debt Balances – YoY % Change Margin debt on the NYSE has surged past $1.1 trillion, up nearly 40% YoY, marking one of the fastest spikes on record. Such rapid increases in borrowing, outpacing overall market gains, have often preceded market peaks. Image: Real Investment Advice