美股亮起三大红灯

Core Viewpoint - Major investment banks on Wall Street are raising alarms about increasing speculative behavior and rising leverage levels in the U.S. stock market, indicating that bubble risks are accumulating [1]. Group 1: Speculative Activity - Goldman Sachs warns that high-risk activities in the U.S. stock market have surged, with indicators of market speculation reaching historical highs, second only to the 2000 internet bubble and the 2021 retail trading frenzy [2]. - Goldman Sachs' speculation trading indicators show that current levels are at historical peaks, except for the periods of 1998-2001 and 2020-2021 [6]. - The basket of stocks with the highest short interest has seen price increases exceeding 60%, indicating potential for further gains but also increasing the risk of a downturn [7]. Group 2: Leverage Levels - Deutsche Bank highlights that margin debt levels have reached a "dangerous" threshold, with total margin debt exceeding $1 trillion for the first time in history as of June [3][8]. - Margin debt surged by 18.5% over two months, marking the fastest pace of leverage increase since late 1999 or mid-2007, which poses potential threats to credit markets [8]. - Deutsche Bank strategists suggest that unless unexpected tariff reductions or a more dovish stance from the Federal Reserve occur, the current market exuberance may not be sustainable [9]. Group 3: Monetary Policy and Regulation - Bank of America emphasizes that loose monetary policies and relaxed financial regulations are contributing to rising bubble risks, with global policy rates expected to decline further from 4.4% to 3.9% over the next 12 months [10]. - The consideration of regulatory reforms aimed at increasing retail investor participation is noted, with the expectation that more retail investors will lead to greater liquidity, volatility, and bubble risks [11]. - Despite the stock market reaching new highs driven by economic resilience and optimistic corporate earnings, the S&P 500 index has underperformed compared to international peers this year [12].