12 January 2026 | 10:19AM EST Economics Research Global: GS Economic Indicators Update: US Economic Data Surprises to the Upside Please find an update of our proprietary global economic indicators below. The data behind these exhibits can be downloaded here. Interactive charts can be found on our living page here. Source: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research Jan Hatzius +1(212)902-0394 | jan.hatzius@gs.com Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Joseph Briggs +1(212)902-2163 | joseph.briggs@gs.com Goldman Sachs & Co. L ...

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].

Investment Rating - The report indicates a negative skew in economic data surprises across developed markets (DMs) [2][4]. Core Insights - The GS Macro Data Assessment (MAP) Surprise Indices have turned negative across DMs over the last several weeks, indicating a decline in economic performance relative to expectations [2][4]. - The Global Financial Conditions Index (FCI) has eased primarily due to movements in equities and credit spreads, suggesting tighter financial conditions impacting growth [9][30]. - The Current Activity Indicator (CAI) for June shows a global value of +1.9%, with emerging markets performing better than developed markets [49][46]. Summary by Sections Economic Indicators - The MAP surprise indices reflect a negative trend in economic indicators across multiple developed countries, suggesting a downturn in economic activity [2][4]. - The CAI for June indicates a +1.9% growth globally, with emerging markets like India and China showing stronger performance compared to developed markets [49][46]. Financial Conditions - The Global ex Russia FCI has eased, primarily influenced by equity markets and credit spreads, indicating a tightening of financial conditions that could affect GDP growth [9][30]. - The report highlights that the FCI levels across various countries have shown significant changes, with notable tightening in regions like China and Turkey [37][30]. GDP Forecasts - The report presents changes in GDP forecasts for 2025, with Vietnam projected to grow by 1.9%, while the US shows a downward adjustment [92][93]. - The GDP forecast adjustments reflect a broader trend of declining growth expectations across developed markets compared to emerging markets [92][93].

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The China Current Activity Indicator (CAI) decreased to +4.3% month-on-month annualized seasonally adjusted in May from +4.6% in April, indicating a slight slowdown in economic activity [7] - The weakening in CAI was primarily driven by the manufacturing sector, suggesting challenges in this area [12] - The import-implied domestic demand proxy indicates largely stable growth in recent months, reflecting resilience in domestic consumption [9] - The Financial Conditions Index (FCI) eased in May, mainly due to foreign exchange depreciation against a trade-weighted basket, which may impact liquidity conditions [27][24] - The report anticipates a faster pace of government bond issuance in the coming months, with an additional RMB1 trillion quota expected to be approved [36] Summary by Relevant Sections Economic Indicators - The CAI fell to +4.3% in May, down from +4.6% in April, indicating a deceleration in economic momentum [7] - Manufacturing and construction growth proxies both declined in May, highlighting sector-specific weaknesses [13] Domestic Demand - The import-implied domestic demand proxy suggests stable growth, indicating that domestic consumption remains resilient despite external pressures [9] Financial Conditions - The FCI eased in May, primarily driven by FX depreciation, which may affect overall economic liquidity [27][24] - The growth impact of FCI impulse is expected to turn positive from Q2 onwards, suggesting potential recovery in economic activity [12] Government Policy - The report notes a slight tightening in the domestic macro policy proxy in May, driven by a narrower fiscal deficit, which may influence future economic stimulus measures [35] - An increase in government bond issuance is projected, with expectations of an additional RMB1 trillion quota to be approved [36]

Economic Indicators - Global hard data shows resilience while soft data normalizes, indicating a stable economic environment[3] - The Global Financial Conditions Index (FCI) eased primarily due to equities, short rates, and credit spreads, reflecting tighter financial conditions[8] - The Current Activity Indicator (CAI) for May shows a global increase of +1.6% month-on-month annualized, with emerging markets leading at +3.6%[12][47] GDP Forecasts - Goldman Sachs revised its GDP forecast for 2025, with notable increases in Japan and the Euro Area, while Canada saw a decrease[10][93] - The change in GDP forecast since 60 days ago shows Taiwan with an increase of +1.9 percentage points, while Turkey increased by +1.2 percentage points in the last week[10][93] Inflation Trends - The trimmed core inflation forecast for 2025 indicates a decrease across several regions, with Turkey showing the largest increase of +1.9 percentage points[88][90] - The inflation forecast for 2026 also reflects similar trends, with notable adjustments in various countries, including a decrease in the UK and Canada[90][91] Labor Market Insights - The jobs-workers gap has shown significant changes since December 2019, with the US and UK experiencing notable declines[21][70] - Wage trackers indicate a steady increase in wage growth across G10 economies, with the US showing a composition-adjusted increase[63][64]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The growth signal from US soft data has improved, indicating a better trade policy outlook [2][4] - The Current Activity Indicator (CAI) for the US shows a value of +1.6% for May, reflecting a positive trend in economic activity [14][50] - The global CAI has ticked up to +2.3% in May, suggesting a recovery in economic conditions [14][50] - Emerging markets, particularly India, show strong growth signals with a CAI of +7.6% in April [14][50] Summary by Sections Economic Indicators - The report highlights improvements in soft data indicators, particularly in the US, which are expected to positively influence economic growth [2][4] - The Financial Conditions Index (FCI) has eased, primarily due to short-term interest rates, indicating a more favorable financial environment for growth [9][28] Current Activity Indicator (CAI) - The CAI for various regions shows positive growth signals, with the US at +1.6% and global CAI at +2.3% for May [14][50] - Developed markets show a CAI of +1.0%, while emerging markets are significantly higher at +4.1% [14][50] GDP Forecasts - The report indicates a change in GDP forecasts for 2025, with notable increases for India and the US, reflecting stronger economic performance [12][97] - The global GDP forecast has been adjusted, with a focus on emerging markets showing resilience and growth potential [12][97] Inflation and Wage Trends - Wage trackers indicate underlying wage growth across G10 economies, which may influence inflation dynamics [22][69] - The report discusses trimmed core inflation measures, which provide insights into underlying price pressures in the economy [62][94]