Assuming that the Santa Claus rally started in earnest yesterday, we’ve just finished our 5th correction in the SP 500 in 2014, which is a pretty strong “change of character” for the market since the March, 2009 generational low for the SP 500.
Here is the spreadsheet we use to track SP 500 corrections: SP500corrections
- The retail investor hasn’t seen a 20% correction since 2011.
- We’ve now seen 5 of what I consider to be decent, pit-of-the-stomach-type corrections in 2014, which is a vastly different pattern than 2012, and 2013. 2013 we saw one correction of 7.50%.
- Remembering, the late 1990’s and the vicious corrections we saw in 1997, 1998, and then March of 2000, I am wondering if these little mini sell-off’s aren’t unlike tremors before a major earthquake.
- I do think the next 20% correction isn’t earning-related, but the Fed finally normalizing short-term interest rates. Taxable fixed income is getting harder and harder to find value – there is trillions of corporate credit money chasing nickels of spread.
- Strictly an opinion, but I think it gets harder and harder for the SP 500 to generate “p.e expansion” and despite this rally into year-end 2014, I am growing more cautious on 2015.
I’m thinking now if we do 5% – 10% in the SP 500 next year, it would be a good year.
Very similar to 1994, however I said the same thing in late 2013.
Our favorite sector for 2015 is still Financials, with current (or plan to be overweight) Industrials and Technology in 2015, as well.
This could also the incoherent ramblings of an old man, that simply writes to clarify my own muddled thinking.
Still, 2014 is now different than the stability of the last few years.
Readers should always be sensitive to a change of character in the SP 500.
Trinity Asset Management, Inc. by:
Brian Gilmartin, CFA
Portfolio manager