May You Invest in Interesting Markets

Core Insights - The investment landscape has shifted from a focus on the S&P 500 to a more diversified approach, with international equities gaining traction and sectors within the U.S. undergoing rotation [1][2] Group 1: U.S. Sector Performance - Historically, around 5 out of 11 U.S. equity sectors outperformed the S&P 500 on a trailing 1-year basis since 2008, but from Q2 2023 to the end of 2025, only 3 sectors on average were beating the index [1] - In 2026, 6 out of 11 sectors are now leading the S&P 500, indicating a potential sector rotation or de-risking rather than a fundamental change in market conviction [1] - Technology and Communication Services have notably underperformed, while Energy and Industrials have shown better performance this year compared to early 2023 [1] Group 2: International Equities - International equities have outperformed the S&P 500 over the last 2-3 months, marking the best simultaneous streak of outperformance since 2018 across various country ETFs [1] - In 2026, every region tracked is beating the S&P 500 on a trailing 3-month basis, with India and China noted for underperformance, suggesting future investment opportunities [1] Group 3: Low-Beta vs. High-Beta Stocks - Low volatility stocks have recently begun to recover against high beta stocks, which have historically performed in line with expectations during positive momentum-driven markets [2] - Since the beginning of the year, low volatility equities have gained approximately 34% against high beta equities, indicating a potential shift in market dynamics [2] - The current upward trend in low volatility stocks may be temporary, as previous recoveries have often been followed by continued declines [2]