COMMENTARY: For the week ending October 17, 2025, the S&P 500 rose 1.7%, and all the U.S. equity sectors advanced, led by real estate, consumer discretionary, and technology. S&P 500 Index gained on improved risk sentiment as investors grew more confident after President Trump signaled that U.S.–China trade talks were back on track, easing global […]
Performance Summary: Week Ending October 17th, 2025 Read More »
With ZION, WAL and FHN in the news for the wrong reasons today, we should revisit the relationship between banking stress and the AI trade which has grown to the point that it influences the primary trend for equity prices when it comes under pressure. Financial stress in the U.S. banking system tends to ripple
Factor Friday: Will Bank Stress Impact AI Leadership Dynamics? Read More »
October 15, 2025 We talked last week about strength in EM Asian Technology shares, particularly in Korea and Taiwan. Those exposures continue to hold up well despite some near-term risk-off sentiment around the AI trade. The flip side of the coin is how investors should think about positioning for potential corrections as investors have begun
Worldwide Wednesday: Core Europe Remains a Key Defensive Exposure for Equity Investors Read More »
October 12, 2025 U.S. equities finished sharply lower on Friday as investors reacted to a re-escalation in trade and technology tensions between Washington and Beijing. The S&P 500 (chart below) fell roughly 2.7%, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 3.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 879 points (-1.9%), erasing several weeks of gains. The sell-off
COMMENTARY: Markets stumbled this week as investors digested a mix of hot inflation data and geopolitical developments, but defensive pockets provided shelter. The S&P 500 dropped 2.4% for the week ending October 10, 2025, as rising Treasury yields and renewed concerns over global growth pressured risk assets. Utilities led the market with a 1.5% gain,
Performance Summary: Week Ending October 10th, 2025 Read More »
October 9, 2025 Space exploration is emerging as one of the most dynamic and investable frontiers of the 2020s. What was once a government-led endeavor has evolved into a diversified commercial and technological ecosystem spanning communications, defense, data analytics, and manufacturing. The sharp decline in launch costs, the rise of private-sector innovation, the strategic value
Thematic Thursday: Space Exploration, The Next Frontier in Public and Private Investment Read More »
October 8, 2025 Emerging markets (charts below), particularly across Asia, have been the bright spot in global equities this year. The rally reflects a combination of macroeconomic tailwinds, strong earnings from leading technology exporters, and renewed investor confidence in the region’s long-term growth story. Companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), Wiwynn, Alibaba, and Tencent
Worldwide Wednesday: Emerging Markets, Emerging Leadership Read More »
October 5, 2025 Equities again sit at or near all-time highs on the major indices. A supportive Fed and continued interest in AI concepts have boosted equity prices and Technology shares in the near-term. However, market breadth has narrowed at the stock level despite the advance (chart below). The mega cap. leadership embedded within the
Narrations of a Sector ETF Operator | Once Again, the Consumer is the Pivot Read More »
COMMENTARY: The S&P 500 advanced 1% for the week ending October 3, 2025, but it was the healthcare sector that stole the show, and clearly ate its protein this week, surging an eye-popping 6.9%. Utilities also brought some spark to portfolios, adding 2.4%. Despite the potential impact of a U.S. government shutdown, investors took the
Performance Summary: Week Ending October 3rd, 2025 Read More »
October 3, 2025 Equities continue to push higher as the calendar has flipped to October. The AI trade remains ascendant amidst a backdrop of an easing Fed, moderating rates and continued firm investor risk appetite. It should be no shock then that in 2025, high-beta stocks have strongly outperformed low-volatility names. We go a bit
Factor Friday: Can High Beta Going Higher? Read More »
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