鲍威尔暗示缩表即将落幕，恐成为股市下跌前奏？

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve's decision to end its quantitative tightening (QT) may not be as beneficial for the stock market as most investors believe, despite the significant implications of this policy shift [1]. Group 1: Federal Reserve's Actions - The Federal Reserve has reduced its balance sheet by $2.2 trillion since June 2022, which has been a major obstacle for the stock market [1]. - Historically, the stock market has performed better during periods of quantitative tightening than during quantitative easing (QE) [1][2]. Group 2: Stock Market Performance - During the recent QT phase, the S&P 500 index had an annualized total return of 20.9%, approximately double its historical average [1]. - Since 2003, during the 12-month periods of balance sheet contraction, the S&P 500 has averaged a gain of 16.9%, compared to only 10.3% during periods of balance sheet expansion [1]. Group 3: Economic Context - The negative correlation between the Fed's balance sheet size and the stock market is linked to the economic conditions when the Fed decides to expand or contract its balance sheet [2]. - The recent QT was possible due to a strong economy, suggesting that the announcement to end QT may indicate an impending economic downturn [5].