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Tom Essaye: AI Stocks Create Major Risk for S&P 500

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Valuation gap suggests index could fall 20% to align with the market

S&P 500 Heavily Reliant on AI Stocks

The S&P 500’s heavy reliance on AI-linked mega-cap tech stocks is creating a significant risk for investors, said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report Research and former Merrill Lynch trader.

Essaye pointed to a valuation gap of nearly five full points between the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP). To trade in line with the equal-weight index, the S&P 500 would need to decline by almost 1,500 points, he noted.

The disparity is being driven by the “magnificent seven” and AI-related names. Essaye warned that if enthusiasm for AI weakens—whether from reduced capex or slower adoption—the S&P 500 could drop more than 20% before valuations align.

He stressed that he is not predicting such a downturn but said the correlation between AI sentiment and the S&P 500 is “too strong to ignore.”

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The Rally Is Broadening

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The Rally Is Broadening: Start a free trial of The Sevens Report.

What’s in Today’s Report:

  • The Rally Is Broadening
  • SPY vs. RSP Comparison – Bar Chart

Equity futures are higher this morning as traders position into a fairly busy morning of U.S. economic data while Chinese authorities intervened in the currency market to support the yuan which is helping general investor sentiment.

Economically, the German GfK Consumer Climate index was slightly better than feared at -27.4 vs. (E) -27.9 but the release is not materially impacting markets this morning.

Today, focus will be on economic data early with several key reports due to be released including: Durable Goods Orders (E: 1.3%), Case-Shiller Home Price Index (E: 0.2%), and Consumer Confidence (E: 106.7).

There are no Fed officials scheduled to speak today but there is a 5-Yr Treasury Note auction at 1:00 p.m. ET. With the elevated level of market anxiety surrounding Friday’s Core PCE release (when markets will be closed) any surprises via strong or weak demand in the auction could move yields and impact equities.

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Why Have RSP and SPY Diverged?

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What’s in Today’s Report:

  • Why Have RSP and SPY Diverged?

Futures are little changed following a mostly quiet night as markets digest the actions by large banks to shore up FRC.

Positively, banks borrowed $165 billion from the Fed via the discount window and the new BTFP this week and that importantly shows banks are using the Fed’s programs to shore up liquidity.

On inflation, core EU HICP met expectations at 5.6% y/y, although that’s an increase from the previous 5.3% gain.

Today focus will remain on any banking headlines and economic data, but as long as there are no surprises from either (meaning KRE is stable) then stocks can digest this week’s volatility and hold yesterday’s gains.

Economically, notable reports today include Industrial Production (E: 0.4%), Consumer Sentiment (E: 67.0) and Leading Indicators (E: -0.2%), but again it’ll take a substantial surprise from them to move markets.