David Prince
US Equity/Options Fund Manager, Mentor at T3 Live
US large-cap equities likely have more downside, because consumer staples leading alongside small-cap biotech signals a reason to be wary. It is rare for both to lead at once, with small-cap biotech up 24.44% this year and 82.86% over the past year. July has historically been the S&P 500's best month since 1928, averaging about 1.7% and rising roughly 60% of the time, but seasonality is not a reliable guide here. x.com x.com x.comÂ
US large-cap equities are vulnerable because earnings have not caught up with total market capitalization. The market is farther from its 200-week moving average than at any point in 18 years, and cracks are starting to show; staying bullish ignores these risks. Rate hikes remain possible, oil is still high, and yields may climb again, so now is the time for caution. x.com x.comÂ
Broad deterioration beneath the surface keeps meaningful US large-cap exposure premature despite selective growth setups. Deepvue's breadth dashboard puts 56% of stocks in Stage 4 declines, while Friday saw 498 new lows against 170 new highs. A handful of medical/healthcare and software leaders can be tested in positions of 3%-5% of portfolio equity, but total exposure has a 15% hard ceiling, not a target. Adding depends on those leaders following through, better market conditions and results. … Show more
US large-cap equities do not look like a bubble at current forward valuations. The S&P 500 forward P/E is below both its five- and ten-year averages, while tech and momentum have suffered their worst five-month decline by far. x.comÂ
US large-cap stocks are frothy and now need years of earnings to validate today's prices, even though the rally is not irrational. Per FactSet, S&P 500 earnings are up about 28% versus 13% expected, but the Shiller P/E is near 42, close to 1999-2001 extremes. Per @KobeissiLetter, leveraged ETF assets hit a record $177B and the leading-to-coincident indicator ratio of 0.84 matches the 2008 low; per @charliebilello, 90+ day delinquencies hit 13.1% for credit cards and 5.6% for auto loans. x.com … Show more
US earnings face a tough comparison problem next year, which the market usually does not receive well. This year's results are boosted by tariff refunds, a big jump in tax refunds and investment gains on stakes such as Anthropic and SpaceX. The problem likely starts in Q4, by which time an Anthropic IPO has likely happened, and weak Chinese consumption is another concern. Headwinds are stacking up together. x.comÂ
Hyperscaler credit stress and weak financials-versus-staples leadership warn of downside risk in the S&P 500 consolidation. Spreads have broken July wides, though an upside breakout is probable if financials stabilize. So far, tech weakness has lowered yields as Fed hikes are priced out, letting defensives rally and the S&P chop. If the Fed signals Nasdaq weakness won't stop tightening without better data, the tech-yield link could break in an uncomfortable, 2018-like direction. x.com x.com … Show more
The S&P 500's rally into the midterms rests on options illiteracy rather than conviction, and proper risk weighting means taking risk off the table. Investors buying fast-decaying puts to save on premium create supportive charm flows that bid the market up. x.comÂ
US large-cap equities face an AI-leadership valuation reset, not yet a recession selloff. AI capex is outrunning visible monetization, and semiconductors were the most crowded trade in Bank of America's July survey, so stocks can beat estimates and still fall. Brent near $100 and a 4.68% 10-year yield compress multiples, and the S&P 500 entered at about 20.1x forward earnings versus a 19.0x 10-year average. Big Tech earnings and the late-July Fed meeting will decide if a deeper reset follows. … Show more
Strong corporate earnings make weekend crash panic a contrarian buying opportunity in US large-cap equities. Most individual stocks have already gone through bear markets despite the S&P 500 nearing record highs; weekend social-media panic rarely leads to a genuine economic downturn and instead offers long-term investors an attractive entry point. x.comÂ
US stocks need not rise just because profits are strong: that is first-level thinking, and everyone already knows earnings are growing. P/E multiples fell over the past six months despite upward EPS revisions, and years like 2018, 2006, 2005 and 2004 saw EPS growth near 17-20% with weak or negative index returns. Valuations sit in the 98th percentile, inflation, rates and deficits are rising, policy may turn anti-corporate after November, and AI capex has inflated profits. x.comÂ
