“黑天鹅”再现，是否还能抄底？

Core Viewpoint - The recent decline in global risk assets, particularly in the U.S. stock market, reflects a combination of trade tensions, high valuations, and diverging fundamentals, indicating a shift in market dynamics compared to previous downturns [5][23]. Market Performance - The S&P 500 index fell by 2.71%, marking its largest single-day drop since May [2]. - The Nasdaq index experienced a more significant decline of 3.56%, losing 700 points, highlighting a sharp correction in technology stocks [3]. - The ChiNext index in China also dropped by 2%, with tech stocks that previously rose in tandem with U.S. tech shares being heavily sold off [4]. Structural Characteristics of the Decline - The downturn in the U.S. market exhibited structural characteristics, with major tech giants like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia seeing declines of 3.45%, over 5.06%, and 4.89% respectively, which directly impacted index performance [7]. - The decline spanned the entire tech industry, indicating a broad market correction in growth expectations for the sector [8]. - The Russell 2000 index, which represents small-cap stocks, fell by 2.99%, suggesting rising concerns about financial stability [9]. Economic and Policy Context - The recent asset price fluctuations were triggered by two key policy moves from the Trump administration, including permanent layoffs affecting over 4,000 federal employees and a potential government shutdown impacting GDP growth [10]. - The U.S. economy's vulnerability is highlighted by a rising unemployment rate of 3.8% and a significant drop in non-farm payrolls [10]. - Trade tensions, particularly the renewed threat of tariffs on China, have exacerbated global supply chain uncertainties, leading to a downward revision of global economic growth forecasts by Goldman Sachs [10]. Market Sentiment and Expectations - Unlike the panic seen in April, the current market sentiment is characterized by a lack of extreme fear, as indicated by the VIX index peaking at 22.6 compared to 35.2 in April [11][19]. - Investors have developed a more mature expectation framework regarding trade conflicts, anticipating a cycle of threats, negotiations, and compromises [13]. - The upcoming APEC summit in November is seen as a potential catalyst for renewed U.S.-China trade discussions, providing psychological support to the market [14]. Valuation and Investment Strategy - Current market valuations are high, with the S&P 500's price-to-earnings ratio at 29.7, significantly above the April low of 24.3 [16]. - The absence of extreme panic and new policy stimuli suggests that blindly buying the dip may be risky, as the market is currently experiencing a process of valuation digestion and momentum shifting [19][24]. - Investors are advised to focus on identifying intrinsic value rather than following overseas liquidity trends, with a short-term focus on domestic consumption recovery and policy benefits [25]. Chinese Market Dynamics - The previous reliance of Chinese assets on overseas liquidity and tech stock correlations has revealed vulnerabilities, suggesting a potential for index-level adjustments, albeit manageable [20]. - Domestic policies and signs of recovery in consumer demand are seen as the most certain investment themes, with the "anti-involution" policy extending to high-end manufacturing [20]. - The recovery in social retail sales growth to 4.2% in September indicates a positive trend in domestic demand [20]. Mid-term Investment Focus - The recovery of global manufacturing and rising physical consumption trends are expected to remain central to asset allocation strategies [21]. - Non-bank financial sectors are anticipated to benefit from improving capital returns as manufacturing rebounds, with historical data suggesting significant excess returns following manufacturing PMI recoveries [21]. - Physical assets, particularly in industrial metals and raw materials, are positioned to benefit from demand recovery, with current valuations below historical medians [21].