美银-The Flow Show-Trading FCI, PMI & CPI

Investment Rating - The report indicates a bullish sentiment with a BofA Bull & Bear Indicator reading of 6.3, suggesting a neutral market outlook [67][68]. Core Insights - The report highlights a record year of inflows into equity ETFs amounting to $1.3 trillion, alongside significant inflows into investment-grade bonds ($430 billion) and technology sectors ($72 billion) [11][24]. - The financial conditions are described as peaking, which correlates with trough credit spreads, indicating a potential risk in financing for AI capital expenditures [3][15]. - The report anticipates a macroeconomic environment characterized by lower rates and higher profits, with expectations of a PMI acceleration benefiting commodities and small-cap stocks [18][15]. Summary by Sections Market Flows - Weekly inflows included $18.7 billion to bonds and $18.3 billion to stocks, with notable inflows into gold ($2.9 billion) and a small amount into cryptocurrencies [11][45]. - The report notes that private clients have allocated $4.2 trillion in assets under management, with 64.6% in stocks and 18.0% in bonds, reflecting a strong preference for growth and staples ETFs [13][51]. Financial Conditions - The report discusses the disparity in borrowing costs, with the US government borrowing at 4% and mortgages exceeding 6%, indicating a challenging environment for consumers and small businesses [2][20]. - It emphasizes that the easing of financial conditions has been significant, with 167 rate cuts in the past year, although a slowdown in rate cut momentum is expected [15][28]. Sector Performance - The report identifies that US equities have seen an inflow of $134 billion, marking the second-largest inflow year ever, while small-cap stocks have underperformed significantly [16][26]. - Inflows into healthcare reached their highest since January 2021, while energy sectors also experienced notable inflows [16][47]. Economic Indicators - The report predicts that the PMI is likely to head toward 55, driven by tax cuts and industrial policy aimed at reshoring, which could benefit international markets [18][15]. - A contrarian trade is suggested, anticipating a CPI drop to 2%, which would favor long-duration Treasuries and sectors focused on affordability [19][15].