Core Insights - Since the "9·24" market rally began, small-cap funds have averaged a return of over 84%, with more than half of these products now subject to purchase restrictions [1][4]. Performance Summary - The A-share market has seen a strong upward trend, with the Shanghai Composite Index surpassing the previous high of 3674 points set on October 8 last year, marking a nearly four-year high since December 14, 2021 [2]. - The micro-cap index has surged by 120.96% since September 24 last year, with a year-to-date increase of 55.71%. The ChiNext small-cap index and the Guozheng 2000 index have risen by 83% and 68%, respectively, ranking among the top two of 20 Guozheng scale indices [2]. - As of August 15, 39 small-cap funds have achieved an average return of 84.6%, with 12 funds seeing net value increases exceeding 100% [2]. Fund Restrictions - Currently, 21 small-cap funds are either suspended from new subscriptions or large subscriptions, accounting for nearly 54% of the total [4]. - The average fund size of small-cap funds is relatively small, with most below 4 billion yuan, and 32 funds having sizes under 1 billion yuan [4]. Market Dynamics - The strong performance of small-cap stocks is attributed to policy support, liquidity easing, valuation recovery, and capital speculation [3]. - Despite a recent pullback in June, small-cap stocks have continued to perform well due to policy dividends and liquidity support [3]. - There are differing opinions on the future performance of small-cap stocks, with some believing that the small-cap style will continue to dominate due to market sentiment and favorable liquidity conditions [4]. Valuation Concerns - Some analysts express skepticism about the sustainability of small-cap stock gains, citing high price-to-earnings ratios and a lack of earnings support for micro-cap stocks [5]. - The rise in small-cap stocks is primarily driven by liquidity rather than substantial earnings growth, raising concerns about potential valuation bubbles [6].