Core Viewpoint - The recent week in the U.S. stock market was marked by strong earnings reports from major tech companies, yet overshadowed by new tariff fluctuations and a disappointing employment report, leading to a chaotic and contradictory market environment [1][3]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The market is grappling with conflicting signals, including a significant drop in short-term Treasury yields due to a poor non-farm employment report and new tariff uncertainties [3]. - Despite strong quarterly earnings from major tech firms, the muted stock price reactions suggest that market expectations have become more stringent [4]. - Small-cap stocks faced their worst week since last year, with the Russell 2000 index dropping 4% over five consecutive trading days, indicating a lack of market breadth [4]. Group 2: Tariff Implications - New tariff fluctuations have reintroduced uncertainty into the market, although many market participants no longer view tariffs as a primary decision-making factor [5]. - Goldman Sachs economists predict that the average effective tariff rate in the U.S. will rise by 9 percentage points, with cumulative increases of 14 and 17 percentage points expected by the end of this year and next year, respectively [5]. Group 3: Fund Flows and Leverage - Recent weeks have seen a shift in fund flows towards risk aversion, with a notable decline in speculative positions and retail investor demand expected to decrease as August approaches [6]. - The overall leverage in the market has seen its largest decline since June 2023, indicating better control over excessive risk exposure [6]. Group 4: Global Perspective - In the global asset allocation landscape, U.S. assets, particularly tech stocks, remain favorable despite a temporary sell-off in April [7]. - The report acknowledges strong performance in the Chinese market, especially in the tech sector, but notes that the market is still waiting for domestic consumption to be fully realized [7]. Group 5: Federal Reserve Challenges - The Federal Reserve's inaction amidst significant events raises concerns about the risk of policy missteps, particularly as core commodity inflation rises while the labor market weakens [8]. - Traders are advised to pay attention to market signals, with short-term options becoming an important tool for professional fund managers [8].

Group 1: Market Overview - The past week has been described as "information-heavy yet chaotic" by Goldman Sachs' hedge fund business head Tony Pasquariello, indicating that while many key events have settled, the market is left with more questions than answers, complicating short-term risk-reward dynamics [1] - The market is struggling to digest conflicting signals, including a new round of tariff fluctuations and a "notably poor" non-farm payroll report, which have cast a shadow over the macroeconomic outlook, leading to a sharp decline in short-term Treasury yields [1] - Despite strong quarterly earnings from major U.S. tech companies, their stock prices reacted flatly, suggesting that the market has already priced in the positive news and that investor expectations have become more stringent [1][2] Group 2: Technology Sector Performance - Excluding Nvidia, the "Tech Seven" reported a 26% year-over-year profit growth in Q2, while the rest of the S&P 500 constituents only saw a 4% increase, highlighting the strong profitability of U.S. tech giants [2] - However, the strong performance has not translated into stock price increases, indicating that the market is in a "higher demand" phase for tech stocks [2] - The Russell 2000 index has experienced its worst week since last year, with a cumulative decline of 4% over five consecutive trading days, reflecting a significant sell-off in small-cap stocks [2] Group 3: Tariff Impacts - Tariff issues have re-emerged in the market, adding new uncertainties, although many market participants no longer view tariffs as a primary decision-making variable, considering them more "disruptive than destructive" [3] - Goldman Sachs economists predict that the average effective tariff rate in the U.S. will rise by 9 percentage points based on announced measures, with cumulative increases of 14 and 17 percentage points expected by the end of this year and next year, respectively [3] - Concerns remain that while the market may have currently priced in tariff expectations, their potential drag on economic growth and upward pressure on prices could resurface as focal points in the coming months [3] Group 4: Fund Flows and Leverage Risks - Recent weeks have seen a clear shift in fund flows towards risk aversion, with Goldman Sachs noting a significant bias towards risk avoidance in their equity business [4] - The report anticipates that as August approaches, the demand from speculative positions and retail investors may weaken, transitioning fund flows from a "major driving force to a moderate one" [4] - A positive development is the apparent easing of high leverage risks, with market leverage levels experiencing the largest decline since June 2023, indicating better control over excessive total risk exposure [4][5] Group 5: Global Market Perspective - In the global asset allocation landscape, U.S. assets, particularly tech stocks, remain favored, with the second-quarter earnings season reaffirming their value despite a brief sell-off in April [6] - While European markets have performed well this year, Pasquariello views this as a "great trade" rather than a "structural story," predicting that U.S. stocks will outperform Europe again by the second half of 2025 as the ECB ends its easing cycle [6] - The report acknowledges China's strong performance, especially in the tech sector, with the Hang Seng Tech Index rising by 22%, but notes that the market is still waiting for the "key element" of domestic consumption to be fully released [6] Group 6: Federal Reserve Challenges - The analysis indicates that the Federal Reserve has not been a decisive factor in stock prices, as it has remained inactive despite numerous significant events over the past seven months [7] - The core issue facing the market is the risk of policy missteps, with the Fed potentially caught in a "challenging scenario" of conflicting dual mandate goals, such as rising core commodity inflation and a weakening labor market [7] - Traders are advised to pay attention to market signals, with short-term options becoming an important tool for professional fund managers, suggesting that opportunities to buy cheap gamma (volatility risk exposure) should be seized if presented in August [7]