Investors Pocket Gains From Bets on Risky Corner of Stock Market

Core Viewpoint - The small-cap segment of the US stock market has been experiencing a rally, but investors remain cautious and are quickly taking profits due to past underperformance and volatility [1][2][4]. Group 1: Market Performance - The iShares Russell 2000 ETF has seen $5.4 billion withdrawn this year, despite the Russell 2000 index reaching an all-time high [2]. - Small caps have underperformed larger companies since the pandemic, particularly during the 2022 bear market, and have struggled to rebound in the subsequent bull market [3][4]. - The Russell 2000 was the last major US equity index to reclaim its all-time high, taking four years to do so, while the Nasdaq 100 surged approximately 50% during the same period [6]. Group 2: Investor Sentiment - Recent positive flows into small caps in September have not been sufficient to offset earlier losses, reflecting a lack of confidence among investors [4]. - Investors are reportedly taking profits quickly, as historical trends show that small caps often do not maintain outperformance over large caps [5]. - Despite a recent run of weekly gains for small caps, there remains a sense of skittishness among investors regarding the sustainability of this performance [7][8].