Goldman Sachs(US:GS) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-04-29 03:23Core Viewpoint - The S&P 500 index experienced significant volatility, dropping to a one-year low of 4835 points on April 7, before recovering to 5525 points by the end of the following week, reflecting a turbulent market environment [1][3]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The hedge fund sector faced severe deleveraging and loss of returns on March 7 and 10, which set the stage for position clearing around April 2 [3]. - Hedge funds have reduced their net exposure significantly, with an average loss of approximately 1% year-to-date, while maintaining a total exposure of 210% [3]. - Long-term investors were largely inactive in March, waiting for news on April 2, leading to a significant sell-off in early April [5]. Group 2: Investor Behavior - Foreign investors have sold approximately $60 billion worth of U.S. stocks since early March, indicating a trend of reducing exposure to U.S. equities [7]. - The cash ratio for asset managers was at a historic low of 1.4% of assets under management (AUM) at the beginning of the quarter, but has since increased significantly [5]. - Retail investors continue to buy into the market, showing resilience unless unemployment rates rise significantly [20]. Group 3: Corporate Actions and Earnings - Corporate buybacks are expected to support the market, with a total of $377.1 billion authorized for buybacks in 2025, and April-May typically being a peak season for such activities [23]. - Earnings reports have been better than expected, with 46% of companies exceeding expectations, which is a positive sign for market sentiment [19]. Group 4: Market Indicators - The liquidity in the market remains low, with optimal order sizes significantly below historical averages, indicating potential for volatility [17]. - The proportion of ETF trading volume has increased to 44%, which is higher than the historical average, suggesting a reliance on ETFs for hedging [16]. - The breadth of the market is currently below historical averages, indicating a need for improvement before more aggressive buying is recommended [14].