Investors Are Becoming Complacent As Economic Activity Slows
· S&P 500 reclaims 6,000 as equities become dismissive of bad news.
· Positioning, sentiment, and valuations are no longer tailwinds.
· Idea generation and opportunities beyond broad-based U.S. equities.
Muddle Through With A Downside Skew
· Stocks rally for their best month in over a year, but are unchanged from early-November
· In its current form, the “Big Beautiful Bill” lacks a stimulative impulse
Year-to-date scorecard suggests the U.S. exceptionalism trade is fading
Going To Run Hot
· Debt downgrade treated with a yawn, but it does have structural importance for investors.
· Subtle shift from horrible to less bad pushes equities back near all-time highs.
· Bond yields are pushing up to levels that will bother equities.
· Investors should favor exposure to scarce vs. abundant assets.
A Reset On The Trade Front Warrants A Reset In Investment View
· A necessary and welcome reset on U.S. and China trade policy.
· U.S. equities have recovered all post-Liberation Day decline.
· Fiscal policy largesse not being reigned in matters.
Some Wondering Thoughts
· Equities have recovered all the post-liberation day sell-off.
· Deal headlines or the lack of will be the next catalyst.
· Market rally overlooking the negatives of this policy cocktail.
Stay Disciplined And Be Patient
Bear market rally or a fading flesh wound?
Sentiment and positioning could be a catalyst to push the S&P 500 up to pre-Liberation Day levels.
Risk/reward profile becomes less desirable between 5,500 – 5,800 on the S&P 500.
Money Goes Home
Equities rally on tariff reprieve.
Investors shouldn’t get complacent with this rally.
Things have changed.
Time to de-gross.
Time To Deploy Some Cash
· Carnage in the equity market is now hitting everything.
· Sentiment and technicals are reaching capitulation points.
· For those positioned for what transpired, it's time shift your mindset from defense to offense.
Don’t Focus On What’s Out Of Your Control
· S&P retested March 13th low of 5,500 this morning – it's an important level to hold.
· Growth scare is priced – recession risk is not.
· Friday’s jobs report will set the tone for recession watch.
Relief Rally, And Then What?
· A subtle walk back on tariff talk ignites a relief rally.
· Incoming data and policy moves will determine the extent and duration of this bounce.
· Diversification is no longer a dirty fifteen-letter word.
Respect The Global Shifts In Fiscal Policy
· The stock market is not the measuring stick for this administration.
· Trade feud with Canada sheds light on U.S. ambitions/strategy.
· Fiscal policy matters and the baton is being passed.
Don’t Count On A Trump ‘Put’…
Short-term pain for long-term gain – easier said than done.
Capital flows to where it's treated best.
Equities are likely close to short-term bottom, but unlikely to be ‘the bottom’.
Market Price Action Acknowledging Growth Scare
· Growth scare getting priced by markets.
· Atlanta Fed Q1 GDP forecast craters.
· Not the time to be a hero, it’s a time to carry less risk.
Rising Confusion And Uncertainty Starting To Bite
· Gold, the anti-uncertainty asset.
· Buffett’s cash pile and a chart that explains why.
· Market internals indicate a character change is underway.
Thinking Through Structural Change
· Stocks treading water at all-time highs, gold glitters, and bonds take a hot CPI in stride.
· Rumors of a potential Mar-a-Lago accord deserve some thought.
· Implications will be profound.
Push and Pull
· Equities awaiting a catalyst to push them out of a choppy trading range.
· Deficit math a threat to an ambitious Trump agenda.
· All that glitters is gold.
Tariff Man Is Back
· Asset markets are at risk of being disrupted by tariffs.
· Investors are better served by forgetting about the politics and thinking about outcomes.
· Would you have signed up for a 7 – 10% return entering 2025?
Disruption Comes To The A.I. Narrative
· China’s A.I. model DeepSeek threatens the A.I. narrative.
· Disruption is at the root of technological innovation.
· Big week for earnings and the latest read on the Fed.
Time To Brush Up On Your Bond Math
· Better-than-expected inflation prints took the sting out of yields, which ignited a rally in equities.
· This week is all about earnings and Trump’s policy agenda.
· Bonds make sense at current interest rate levels.