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AI Stocks Face Caution as Broader Market Slips, Says Essaye

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Tom Essaye notes recent weakness outside AI but calls the selling “knee-jerk,” not the start of a larger downturn.

Review & Preview: Tech Check

“Essentially the rest of the stock market has been going down for over a week now and the only thing that’s been holding the S&P 500 up are the AI names,” Sevens Report Research’s Tom Essaye told me. “And now we have a very direct series of headlines of caution…on the increases in the AI-related stock prices.”

Still, this might simply be “knee-jerk selling,” according to Essaye.

“I don’t think that this is the start of something much bigger,” Essaye says. “The market seems absolutely fine, still embracing a lot of these AI-related headlines, but I do think that we’re going to get these temporary moments of caution because the whole debate ‘Is AI a bubble or not?’ it’s still incredibly unsettled.”

Also, click here to view the full article published in Barron’s on November 4th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Jamie Dimon’s “Cockroach” Warning Puts Credit Markets on Watch

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Recent bankruptcies raise concern over broader economic stress, with Sevens Report highlighting the Baa-over-Treasuries spread as a key risk gauge.

What to Watch for Signs of Broader Credit Market Stress

Jamie Dimon’s remark that “when you see one cockroach, there’s probably more,” referencing the bankruptcy of subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings, has sparked new worries about hidden credit-market stress. Alongside the collapse of auto-parts maker First Brands, investors are questioning whether these cases are isolated or signs of broader weakness. According to Sevens Report analysis, the key metric to monitor is the Baa-over-Treasuries spread, a measure of risk in high-yield credit. A move toward 2.00% from the current 1.72% would signal rising systemic stress and increased downside risk for equities.

Also, click here to view the full article published in Barron’s on October 17th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

AI Rally Fades as OpenAI’s $500B Valuation Fuels Bubble Concerns – Tom Essaye

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Sevens Report president says stagflation or fading AI enthusiasm are key risks

Open AI’s Valuation: Sign of AI Confidence or Froth?

The tech sector—especially semiconductors and anything AI-related—caught a solid morning bid yesterday following reports that OpenAI’s latest secondary stock sale valued the company near $500 billion. The $10 billion employee share sale sparked fresh enthusiasm across the AI complex, fueling a wave of early risk-on momentum in big-tech names.

However, the initial surge quickly faded. Key AI leaders like NVDA gave back early gains, and while the SOX (semiconductor index) still finished higher, it closed below its open—suggesting growing reluctance among investors to chase AI stocks at historically rich valuations.

The takeaway: While the OpenAI valuation reinforced confidence in the long-term AI narrative, it also underscores how frothy sentiment has become. If investor expectations begin to recalibrate or AI momentum stalls, the risk of a meaningful profit-taking pullback in tech—and potentially the broader market—is rising.

Also, click here to view the full article featured on Barron’s published on October 3rd, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Weak ADP Data Not a Red Flag Yet, Says Tom Essaye

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Essaye highlights resilience in labor market and favors natural resources ETF

Weak Jobs Numbers Won’t Derail a Hot Economy. 3 ETFs to Buy.

The latest ADP National Employment Report showed a loss of 32,000 jobs in September, but Sevens Report founder Tom Essaye said the data shouldn’t alarm investors. He noted that Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures—typically more reliable—still indicate modest job growth.

“Unemployment remains low,” Essaye said, adding that it would take convincingly poor readings across multiple data sources to pose a serious threat to the economic outlook. “That’s not close to happening right now,” he emphasized.

Looking for opportunities in the current environment, Essaye recommended the FlexShares Global Upstream Natural Resources Index Fund (GUNR), citing its exposure to oil producers, chemical manufacturers, and basic materials companies. He said these firms could see rising profits as demand for commodities strengthens alongside steady consumer and business spending.

Also, click here to view the full article featured on Barron’s published on October 1st, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Tom Essaye Quoted In Barron’s – Two Threats Could Derail Market Rally

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Sevens Report president says stagflation or fading AI enthusiasm are key risks

2 Factors That Could Trigger a Stock Market Selloff

Despite recent economic surprises and geopolitical noise, none of it has slowed the market rally, according to Tom Essaye, president of Sevens Report Research.

“For the simple reason that they weren’t enough to make investors think that 1) tariffs may cause stagflation or 2) meaningfully reduce AI enthusiasm,” Essaye wrote.

He stressed that while conflicting inflation data, questions about data validity, and global tensions add uncertainty, investors should focus on whether developments increase stagflation risk or curb AI optimism.

“As long as the answer to both is ‘no,’ then while stocks may see some volatility, the trend in this market should remain higher,” Essaye concluded.

Also, click here to view the full article featured on Barron’s published on August 18th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Tom Essaye in Barron’s: Hot PPI Report Threatens Stock Rally Momentum

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Surging producer prices raise stagflation concerns for equity markets

Stocks’ Rally Could Stall After Hot PPI Report

Sevens Report founder Tom Essaye said Friday that July’s hotter-than-expected Producer Price Index poses a serious threat to the stock-market rally.

The headline PPI jumped by the most since March 2022, rising more than four times the consensus estimate. Essaye warned that the upside surprise introduces risks that had not been on investors’ radar.

Rising producer prices, he explained, could pressure corporate earnings while increasing the likelihood the Fed faces a “mandate dilemma” if inflation rises just as labor-market data weakens. That would be the “textbook definition of stagflation.”

“If stagflation emerges in the second half of 2025, equities are well over their skis,” Essaye noted, pointing to the S&P 500’s 22-times multiple on what may be overly optimistic 2026 earnings forecasts.

Also, click here to view the full article featured on Barron’s published on August 15th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Worried About an AI Bubble? Watch This Indicator

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Tom Essaye says chip stocks may be the canary in the coal mine

Stocks Are Hitting New Highs and Investors Don’t Believe It

While artificial intelligence remains the dominant market narrative, Sevens Report President Tom Essaye warns that investors should be cautious about hype outpacing reality.

“Every bubble in modern market history has been based on a narrative,” Essaye wrote, comparing today’s AI surge to past booms like the dot-com and housing bubbles. He suggests that the best early warning signs may come from semiconductor stocks—especially the broader Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX).

Nvidia may be hitting record highs, but Essaye cautions that focusing solely on NVDA could be misleading. “That divergence in index performance is meaningful,” he said. If SOX begins to materially sell off, he warns, “the S&P 500 will almost certainly not be far behind.”

Although he stops short of calling the top, Essaye believes equity markets are underpricing the risks. “There is a significant sense of complacency in equity markets right now,” he wrote, urging investors to stay alert in the second half of 2025.

Also, click here to view the full article featured on Barron’s published on August 1st, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

Stock Vigilantes May Push Back If Trump Escalates Tariffs Says Tom Essaye

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Sevens Report warns equity markets won’t tolerate unchecked trade risks

‘Stock vigilantes’ could rebel against Trump’s tariffs: Sevens Report

WALL STREET MAY SOON SEND A MESSAGE IF TARIFF THREATS TURN TO ACTION

So far, investors have largely shrugged off Trump’s tariff rhetoric, assuming he won’t follow through on aggressive trade threats.

But according to Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research, that complacency may soon fade if tariffs actually hit.

“It’s possible that stock vigilantes could appear… If Trump views the new highs in stocks as a ‘green light’ to escalate the trade war, it may well have to decline to remind the administration…”

Essaye argues that the U.S. economy can absorb around 10% aggregate tariffs, but anything more could threaten a return to stagflation-like conditions.

The term “stock vigilantes” borrows from “bond vigilantes”—investors who sell U.S. debt in protest of fiscal mismanagement. This time, equities could become the market’s way of saying “enough.”

Also, click here to view the full article published in MarketWatch on July 14th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.

ASX Nears Record Although U.S. Tariff Uncertainty Clouds Global Outlook

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Tom Essaye warns Fed may delay cuts until trade policy stabilizes

ASX on track to break record; big miners jump

AUSTRALIAN MINERS SURGE WHILE U.S. POLICY RISKS SIMMER

The ASX is on track to hit a new record as mining stocks jump, but U.S. trade and rate policy remain a source of global market concern.

According to Tom Essaye, author of the Sevens Report, Trump’s unpredictable tariff strategy could force the Fed to delay a rate cut beyond September.

“There’s zero chance we’ll have tariff clarity by August 1, which makes a July rate cut impossible.”
— Tom Essaye, Sevens Report

Even if Trump sticks to the current deadline, Essaye warns, markets expect a delay, which pushes rate decisions further into the year.

“The Fed will want to wait a few months to see what impact these new tariff rates have on the economy.”

Essaye also noted a potential political backlash if higher-for-longer rates persist, which could escalate tensions between Trump and Fed Chair Powell.

Also, click here to view the full article featured on Indopremier.com published on July 11th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here

Sevens Report Updates S&P 500 Outlook: Here’s What Could Happen Next

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Midyear valuation scenarios show limited upside—and real downside risk if key levels break

S&P 500: Exploring best- and worst-case scenarios for H2 2025

S&P 500 STARTS H2 2025 PRICED TO PERFECTION, SAYS SEVENS REPORT

With markets hovering near all-time highs, Sevens Report Research has released its updated valuation targets for the S&P 500—and the range of potential outcomes for the rest of 2025 is wide.

“Markets are largely priced to perfection at the start of H2’25.”
— Sevens Report

Under the baseline scenario, based on projected 2026 earnings of $295/share, Sevens pegs fair value between 6,195 and 6,343, with 6,269 acting as a technical midpoint.

  • 6,195 = near-term support

  • 6,269 = technical pivot

  • 6,343 = upside resistance

A break above this range could lead to a “better-if” rally scenario:

  • Target: 6,600

  • Assumes $300/share in earnings and a 22× multiple

  • Represents only ~6% upside from recent levels

  • A move above 6,600 could open the door to 6,860, the 161.8% Fibonacci extension

But downside risks remain in a “worse-if” case:

  • Target range: 4,675–4,950

  • Assumes $275/share EPS and a 17–18× multiple

  • Midpoint: 4,813, a “technically critical” level

  • Weekly close below 4,813 could trigger a deep bear market toward 3,675

“A collapse of that magnitude may sound far-fetched, but history shows it wouldn’t be unprecedented.”

With valuations stretched and catalysts limited, Sevens cautions that investor focus should now shift to earnings quality, macro stability, and technical levels that could define the second half of the year.

Also, click here to view the full Investing.com article featured on Yahoo Finance published on July 9th, 2025. However, to see the Sevens Report’s full comments on the current market environment sign up here.

If you want research that comes with no long term commitment, yet provides independent, value added, plain English analysis of complex macro topics, then begin your Sevens Report subscription today by clicking here.

To strengthen your market knowledge take a free trial of The Sevens Report.

Join hundreds of advisors from huge brokerage firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo Advisors, Raymond James, and more! To start your quarterly subscription and see how The Sevens Report can help you grow your business, click here.