Goldman Sachs upgrades global equities on growth optimism, policy support

Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs upgraded its stance on global equities to "overweight" from "neutral" for the next three months, citing improving economic momentum, attractive valuations, and supportive monetary and fiscal policies [1] Group 1: Global Equities - Global equities have reached record highs, driven by optimism regarding early interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve, which are expected to prevent a recession [2] - The MSCI World Index has increased approximately 35% since its lows in April, recovering from a selloff due to recession fears [2] - Resilient corporate earnings and a dovish Fed have led brokerages, including Goldman, to raise year-end targets for the S&P 500, with Goldman increasing its forecast to 6,800 [3] Group 2: Market Dynamics - Equities typically perform well during late-cycle slowdowns when recession risks are low and policy support is strong, as evidenced by historical rallies in the late 1990s and mid-1960s [3] - Goldman Sachs downgraded its outlook on global credit to "underweight" from "neutral" for the next three months, citing late-cycle dynamics and stretched valuations as significant headwinds [4] - The firm also downgraded cash to "underweight" over the 12-month horizon, indicating that continued Fed easing is likely to lower cash returns further into next year [4]