Home Insights Equities Equity markets: Nearing a peak or more room to run?

While investors are increasingly concerned about whether markets have peaked, bull markets don’t just die of old age. History suggests that the Fed plays an outsized role in determining market returns based on its monetary policy stance. While today’s macro environment doesn’t resemble previous market peaks, and there remains a path for further market upside, policy uncertainty poses a significant challenge to sustaining bullish sentiment.

Following double-digit returns for U.S. equities over the past two years, and with valuations now incredibly expensive, investors are increasingly concerned about whether markets have peaked.

Bull markets don’t just die of old age, however, and history suggests that the Federal Reserve tends to play an outsized role in determining the prevailing market regime based on its monetary policy stance. Indeed, most market sell-offs larger than 10% since 1965 were triggered by either the Fed pivoting aggressively to a hawkish stance and spooking markets or the Fed staying restrictive for too long, putting downward pressure on growth and earnings.

Today’s macroeconomic landscape differs meaningfully from past market peaks, particularly as economic data show little sign of a hard landing while labor market conditions remain resilient. A narrow but viable path remains for markets to grind higher, especially if earnings growth continues to deliver as expected.

However, uncertainty around future policy decisions poses a significant risk. Inflation remains a key concern, and the new Trump administration’s fast-moving policy agenda could potentially impact the labor market and further complicate the inflationary picture. These will add challenges to Fed policymaking, and although the bar for a rate hike remains high, a hawkish pivot could bring an abrupt end to the current bull market.

Prudent investors should remain vigilant, balancing optimism with a strategic approach to risk in today’s evolving market environment.

For a deeper dive into the factors that typically lead to the demise of bull markets, read Is the U.S. equity market peaking?

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