Every week, I summarise key highlights on financial markets and present my thought in a one pager.
📊 2024 February
Weekly News that I find interesting :
📊 2024 March
Weekly News that I find interesting :
Source : Nasdaq
Sticky inflation and expectations of prolonged high interest rates pose challenges, particularly for small-cap companies with significant short-term debt exposure. However, there is optimism that small-cap profits may rebound as interest rates eventually decrease. Analysts foresee potential earnings growth for small-cap companies, driven by improved access to capital and easing financial conditions. Despite the current challenges, the historical precedent and discounted valuations of small-cap stocks present opportunities for investors looking beyond short-term market fluctuations.
“You need a little greed, you need some of those animal spirits, maybe a pick-up in M&A or a booming IPO market, for small-caps to really take off,” said Greg Tuorto, a small-cap portfolio manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
In my opinion , the decision to invest in either large capitalization or small capitalization companies hinges on investors' risk tolerance, investment goals, and time horizon. Diversifying across both large and small-cap stocks can assist investors in managing risk and seizing opportunities across diverse market segments.
Many agree that large-cap stocks offer stability and dividends but may have limited growth potential, while small-cap stocks offer higher growth potential but come with higher market volatility and risk.
Since the past 20 years, US small-cap stocks are experiencing their worst relative performance to large companies, with the Russell 2000 index lagging behind the S&P 500 by a significant margin since the start of 2020. This deviation from historical norms, where small-caps typically offer higher returns albeit with greater volatility, has been driven by several factors. Weak balance sheets and limited pricing power have made small-cap stocks vulnerable to high inflation and rising borrowing costs, deterring many investors.