
Los inversores de Wall Street que esperaban un tradicional Santa Rally para cerrar el año se han quedado decepcionados hasta ahora. Los futuros de índices bursátiles sugieren que las acciones continúan luchando, luego de una caída del 1,1% en el S&P 500 a fines de la semana pasada.
Según los economistas, 2024 ha sido un año récord para Wall Street. El S&P 500 alcanzó 57 máximos históricos, lo que lo sitúa entre los cinco años con mayores récords de todos los tiempos. Durante el año pasado, el Nasdaq Composite ganó más del 31%, el S&P 500 subió un 25% y el Dow Jones Industrial Average subió un más modesto 14%.
Sin embargo, el aumento de los rendimientos de los bonos está planteando desafíos para las acciones. El rendimiento de referencia del Tesoro a 10 años cerró la semana pasada en su nivel más alto en siete meses. Desde septiembre, los rendimientos han aumentado casi un punto porcentual, incluso después de que la Reserva Federal recortara su tasa de interés de referencia.
Los analistas atribuyen el aumento de los rendimientos de los bonos a las preocupaciones sobre las políticas arancelarias y fiscales del dent electo Donald Trump. Estas políticas podrían alimentar la inflación y ampliar el defi federal, aumentando la oferta de bonos y suprimiendo los precios.
Julian Emanuel, estratega de Evercore ISI, advierte que los rendimientos a largo plazo podrían seguir ejerciendo presión a mediano plazo sobre las acciones, incluso si las condiciones económicas generales siguen siendo favorables.
“ El aumento de los rendimientos de los bonos a largo plazo plantea el mayor desafío para el mercado alcista a medida que comienza 2025 ”, escribió Emanuel en una nota reciente, señalando una mayor volatilidad del mercado de valores tras la reunión de diciembre de la Reserva Federal.
El mercado de bonos está alcanzando un pico mientras que el mercado del petróleo crudo toca fondo, ambos impulsados en gran medida por la inflación. Bitcoin se posiciona como un actor clave debido a su naturaleza descentralizada y oferta limitada, ofreciendo una alternativa a la depreciación de los activos tradicionales. Como…
- GG (@LuillyDRR) 27 de diciembre de 2024
Emanuel emphasized that while bond yields may pull back slightly in the short term due to elevated Treasury short positions and easing geopolitical tensions, the medium-term outlook remains challenging. The interplay between rising bond yields and equity valuations will be crucial in determining market trends in early 2025.
The strategist also predicts that a 10-year Treasury yield of 4.5% is manageable for equities, but a breach of 4.75% could trigger a deeper correction. Notably, stocks have shown resilience in periods of rising yields, advancing 117% since the bond market trough in 2020.
However, during periods when yields surpassed 4.5% or 4.75%, equities posted negative returns of -2.1% and -3.7%, respectively.
In 2024, earnings growth extended beyond the “Magnificent Seven” tech giants, with the other 493 S&P 500 companies exiting their earnings recession. According to FactSet data, S&P 500 earnings are projected to grow 15% year over year in 2025.
Keith Lerner, co-chief investment officer at Truist, notes that this earnings growth will likely sustain the bull market. “The weight of evidence suggests the primary market trend remains higher, driven by earnings growth in 2025,” Lerner stated in his market outlook.
The broader U.S. economy has also demonstrated resilience. November retail sales exceeded expectations, GDP growth remains above trend at 3%, and the unemployment rate continues to hover around 4%. While still elevated, inflation has shown signs of moderation, giving investors hope for a “soft landing” where prices stabilize without significant job losses.
Several tailwinds are supporting market optimism heading into 2025. Record corporate profits are expected for a second consecutive year, with net profit margins projected to remain nearly 12%. Sectors beyond technology, including health care, industrials, and materials, are anticipated to see profit increases in the high teens.
However, headwinds are where economists are expressing little to no optimism. Federal Reserve officials now project the federal funds rate to fall to 3.9% in 2025, an increase from their earlier September estimate of 3.4%.
While the Fed delivered a substantial 50 basis point rate cut in September, most adjustments over the past year have been in smaller 25 basis point increments. The latest projections suggest the central bank anticipates two more rate cuts in 2025, down from the four cuts previously forecast in September.
BREAKING: Fed projections imply 50 basis points of rate cuts in 2025, another 50 bps in 2026.
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) December 18, 2024
If interest rates are not accordingly cut in 2025, given the Federal Reserve’s commitment to combating inflation, it may risk a policy error that could potentially harm the labor market.
Additionally, analysts reckon that the Trump administration’s policies, while business-friendly, could introduce growth challenges through higher tariffs.
Tech stocks, which have driven much of the market’s gains, face potential stagnation as investors grow wary of excessive spending on artificial intelligence without corresponding earnings growth. While a collapse in tech valuations is unlikely, a moderation in valuations could shift investor focus toward undervalued sectors like health care and materials.
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