华尔街见闻·2025-11-21 11:19Core Viewpoint - The recent volatility in the U.S. stock market, triggered by Nvidia's earnings report and a mixed non-farm payroll report, highlights the fragility of market sentiment and the interconnectedness of various risk factors [1][2][3]. Group 1: Market Reaction - Following Nvidia's earnings report, which exceeded expectations, the S&P 500 initially surged by 1.9% but ultimately closed down by 1.5%, resulting in a market value loss exceeding $2 trillion from peak to trough [1]. - The volatility observed was the largest since April, with the VIX index spiking above 26, indicating heightened market fear [2]. Group 2: Contributing Factors - High volatility was attributed to nine interrelated factors identified by Goldman Sachs, including Nvidia's inability to sustain its initial gains, leading to increased hedging among investors [5][6]. - The cryptocurrency market also faced significant pressure, with Bitcoin dropping below the psychological threshold of $90,000, contributing to broader risk asset sell-offs [8]. - Concerns regarding private credit were raised by Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, warning of potential vulnerabilities in asset valuations and their implications for the financial system [9]. - The non-farm payroll report, while stable, did not provide clear guidance for the Federal Reserve's December interest rate decision, with the probability of a rate cut only slightly increasing to 35% [10]. Group 3: Technical and Market Structure - Technical analysis revealed a fragile market structure, exacerbated by systematic selling pressure from Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs), which are expected to remain net sellers regardless of market movements [12][13]. - The liquidity in the S&P 500 has significantly deteriorated, with top buy-sell liquidity dropping to approximately $500,000, well below the average of $1.1 million for the year, making the market more susceptible to large trades [15]. - The increasing dominance of ETF trading, which accounted for 41% of total market volume, indicates a shift towards macro-driven trading rather than individual stock fundamentals [15]. Group 4: Market Sentiment and Future Outlook - The overall market sentiment is fragile, with a broad sell-off affecting major tech stocks and meme stocks, leading to their worst single-day performance since the "Tariff Liberation Day" [20]. - The upcoming expiration of a massive $3.1 trillion in options, including $1.7 trillion in SPX index options, is expected to further increase market volatility [23][26]. - The cryptocurrency market's decline appeared to precede the stock market's downturn, suggesting a potential transmission of risk sentiment from high-risk assets to broader markets [24].