Research & Invest
Investor, Institutional Asset Management Background
US large-cap earnings are strong and the consumer is healthy, undercutting the bearish case. Per Bank of America's Savita, with 90% of S&P 500 companies reported, 76% beat and earnings grew 30% excluding one-time gains, while spending by lower-income and younger cohorts has improved. She is not in the Burry camp. x.com
Rising Treasury yields after strong US payrolls are a reason for optimism on US stocks, the Nasdaq and semiconductors, because they reflect a strong labor market and strong GDP. Equity investors selling on higher yields miss that point, though the market is also worried about Kevin Warsh's first call in two weeks. x.com
S&P 500 earnings are keeping pace with prices, so this does not look like a bubble. Quarterly earnings are on track to grow 29.5%, more than twice the 10-year average of 12.6%, while the 18.7 forward P/E is just below its 19.1 decade average. x.com
Strong corporate profit margins may make the S&P 500 better value than traditional P/E ratios suggest, despite elevated stock prices. Per Bloomberg, its P/E-to-profitability ratio is at its lowest in nearly 14 years, last seen around 2012. Wall Street might be overlooking something important. x.com
The S&P 500 rally is a concentration bet because earnings growth is coming from very few companies, while AI productivity gains are not spreading across the broader economy. Nvidia and Micron drive 34% of expected Q3 earnings growth, and ten companies account for two-thirds. Apollo's revenue-per-worker chart shows gains for the Magnificent Seven but little for the other 493 S&P 500 companies; most stocks that reflect the broader economy are down. x.com x.com x.com
Rising S&P earnings revisions and a Nasdaq valuation far below the 2000 bubble level argue against a bull trap in US large caps. Nasdaq trades at 18x forward earnings versus over 80x in 2000. Positive breadth divergences, record short ETF exposure and put volume, and semiconductors waking up add to the case. In all 19 post-midterm instances cited, markets were very green over the following 12 months. x.com x.com
US large-cap earnings are in a historic boom that undercuts the doomers: S&P 500 companies are beating EPS estimates by an aggregate 29.2%, the biggest beat ever, against a 7.0% five-year average. 86% of companies beat, and the blended net margin reached an all-time high of 16.9%. This is the largest investment boom in history. x.com
The S&P 500's rejection of new all-time highs after seven weeks of bearish trading, itself following nine bearish weeks, is not what a healthy market does. But $762.70 support has not broken, and institutions are soaking every dip on record buy volume. The bearish case remains qualified: the weakness may be short-term trading noise. x.com
US stocks are getting cheaper even as they rise, because earnings are booming and P/E multiples are declining, making this the opposite of a bubble. x.com
Broader participation, earnings growth and lower multiples support US equities into year-end, with seasonality also favorable. The equal-weight S&P rose 1.95% this week while the cap-weighted index slipped 0.05%; EPS is up 38% so far and multiples are down 17% year to date. The 10-year yield fell 41 basis points. x.com
Energy's continued push on inflation is concerning for the S&P 500. Energy's strength relative to SPY looks very similar to the start of the 2021-22 inflation bear market, when repeated closes above the 50-week average preceded a surge. Last week's close above the five-week average echoes March 2026. x.com
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
