Dr. Stoxx
Stock Trader & Author, Oxford DPhil, Trading Education
US small caps are leading the market, a sign of appetite for risk-on from here. The market clearly wants the Iran conflict wrapped up and the Strait of Hormuz cleared. When Iran's denial came out, stocks sold off only partly and with less momentum, suggesting the market can see beyond negotiations to some kind of peace deal. x.comÂ
Falling rates and buying in financials, consumer discretionary and Home Depot make US small caps a very good buy here with high probability. The drawdown exceeds 11%, as it did at the start of the Iran war, and daily RSI and MACD are at similar bottoms. x.comÂ
The pause in attacks until the November 3 midterms is the catalyst for the next leg up in risk assets, including bitcoin, US small caps and long-dated Treasuries. x.comÂ
US large caps, small caps and bitcoin face a sharp risk-off event if crude oil makes one more push to a new high, dragging the dollar and yields higher. Despite the ceasefire extension, the oil market remains pessimistic about the Strait of Hormuz reopening. x.comÂ
The Iran war, rising oil prices and inflationary pressure do not yet look severe enough to trigger a major economic crisis. Despite some deterioration in the macro picture and short-term volatility, the broader picture remains relatively healthy and the long-term outlook for US large-cap and Nasdaq 100 stocks is very positive. x.comÂ
US equities want to go higher off extreme pessimism. The wall of worry reached DEFCON 1 levels over the past several weeks and the Fear & Greed Index dipped into Extreme Fear, leaving opportunity across beaten-down growth stocks and crypto. If the Iran conflict de-escalates at any point, this is about as strong a setup as any since late March. x.comÂ
Small caps are more sensitive to higher rates, so they will suffer and underperform as yields climb, and today's move is just an oversold bounce. Fed fund futures are at 3.75%, and other Treasury yields are already higher, so the market is effectively there already. Another rate hike may not make much difference on its own, but not every stock can handle this level of rates. x.comÂ
US energy stocks stand to benefit from the Strait of Hormuz closure. With Hormuz closed, energy stocks are open for business. x.comÂ
US small caps are drawing a rotation that signals the market is quietly going more risk-on. When the Nasdaq and S&P 500 printed their first red daily candles after 14 straight green days, the Russell 2000 still closed higher, showing money moving from large caps into small caps rather than leaving the market. x.comÂ
Small caps, housing stocks and unprofitable tech that ran on rate-cut hopes face a sharp repricing, as odds of a rate hike at the Fed's July 29 meeting tripled in a week. Oil surged near $100 after Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers, new global tariffs lifted inflation expectations and the 10-year yield hit 4.71%. A Wells Fargo strategist said the Fed may need to hike more and faster than expected. With consumers already fragile, a hike would reprice small caps overnight. x.comÂ
Peace with Iran will be the market catalyst by easing oil-driven inflation and financing concerns. Normal cargo costs would stabilize oil prices as refineries rebuild and production rises; inflation expectations and the US 10-year yield would fall, bringing liquidity back into technology. The deal is an extremely strong suspicion, not concrete knowledge, and its timing is unknown. Unlike the 21.4% SPY drawdown before the April 2025 tariff pause, the index has seen no drawdown yet. x.comÂ
