This Week in Barrons: 2.16.2025

 

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/week-barrons-2162025-r-f-culbertson-87qgc 

Market sentiment is shifting from euphoria to doubt as valuations continue to move toward the upper end of their new higher range. Passive index funds continue show inflows over active funds. The risk of recession is low due to: manufacturing being in expansion mode, our GDP currently being at 3.9%, and earnings continuing to beat estimates. Per Callum Thomas, the U.S. dominates the global equities’ arena. The sentiment shift from extreme bullishness and frenzied inflows – to increased skepticism and concern – is simply a part of today’s reality. 

Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

This Week in Barrons: 2.9.2025

 

 Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/week-barrons-292025-r-f-culbertson-mrixc 

This week’s trading vibe had a distinctly cautionary flavor – as our bull market showed its age and the risk flags began to wave. (a) Sentiment shifted from bull to bear.  (b) Mag-7 stocks sounded warnings on volumes, price, and inflows. And (c) US equity risk premiums remained at multi-decade lows.  Below the surface, sentiment has moved from extreme optimism to murmuring pessimism, and portfolio allocations are starting to reflect that.  Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

This Week in Barrons: 2.2.2025

 

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/week-barrons-222025-r-f-culbertson-freic 

The S&Ps closed up +2.7% in January, and companies are sounding more optimistic in earnings calls.  Investor confidence is down but economic confidence is up – which sets the scene for a market rotation (mega-cap to small-cap).  Per Callum Thomas: Investor sentiment has slipped as market volatility, policy uncertainty, and valuations have all increased.  This is a characteristic of stocks becoming more range-bound and an upcoming market rotation.  Heads-Up, because that is a different macro-market than what we’ve been used to over the past couple of years.  Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

 Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/week-barrons-1262025-r-f-culbertson-kf4dc

This year will be the moment-of-truth for the AI market.  On one hand you have the “AI Manhattan Project” that will cost $500B just to maintain superiority.  And on the other hand, you have the just-released DeepSeek (Chinese) model which demonstrates the success of nerds + open-source models = superior efficiency at a tiny fraction of the cost and speed == Cheaper, Better, Faster.  Per Callum Thomas: “The big questions remain around commercialization and profitability.  We will begin a period of re-thinking on capex, earnings prospects, and a probable shakeout of our excesses.”  Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

This Week in Barrons: 1.19.2025

 

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/week-barrons-1192025-r-f-culbertson-li9oc

(1) Markets rebounded off oversold conditions, but sentiment has also shifted from bullish to neutral/bearish.  (2) Retail flows have moved from doubt to hype – further fueling the ‘degenerative economy’ trade.  However, earnings per share for Defensive stocks has reached a decade+ low.  (3) Finally, Tech will not go quietly into this good night, and an interesting play is to: Replace Bonds (in the 60/40 portfolio) with Bitcoin + Defensives.  

Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

This Week in Barrons: 1.12.2025

 

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Just as retail traders are going all-in on stocks, the indexes are becoming more concentrated and uncertainty surrounding our new fiscal / monetary policies is growing. We desperately need Mag-7 earnings to out-perform.   But a bit of stock market indigestion is to be expected at this stage of the election cycle. Q1 volatility is an understatement with: expensive valuations, stretched investor / consumer sentiment, and policy uncertainty. 

Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/week-barrons-1122025-r-f-culbertson-l9txc 

This Week in Barrons: 1.5.2025

 

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Per Callum Thomas, 2024 was a year that featured all the hallmarks of a raging bull market. Heading into 2025, expectations are running hot, and the hurdles for a third calendar year in a row of 20%+ gains are high. It’s possible that the bull market keeps moving higher-for-longer, but probabilities do not favor that outcome. 

Please feel free to read the blog post: #investing #stocks #bonds #options

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/week-barrons-152025-r-f-culbertson-jrsic