The big things you need to know: The big things you need to know: First, 4Q24 earnings season looks solid on the stats so far. Second, bulls bounced back in the weekly AAII survey last week, as US equity flows stabilized.

The big things you need to know: First, the initial batch of 4Q24 earnings call commentary, which is mostly from Financials, highlights the optimism and uncertainty that are both embedded in the current outlook for stocks. Second, investor sentiment on the AAII survey continued to slip last week despite stabilization in the S&P 500 itself. Third, we continue to see some signs of mild rotation affecting US equity funds flows where we continue to see a loss of momentum. At the same time, we are seeing improvement in flows to bond funds, global equity funds, and several categories of non-US equity funds.

The big things you need to know: First, we review our thoughts on last Friday's jobs report and reaction in the S&P 500 and Russell 2000. Second, with 4Q24 reporting season getting underway, we review what we’re listening for in S&P 500 company earnings calls. Third, we run through updates on other high frequency indicators, including a new chart comparing market cap and net income concentration for the biggest names in the S&P 500.

The big things you need to know: Today in the podcast, an update on our S&P 500 sector outlook for 2025, and the results of the quarterly RBC analyst survey that we just updated in late December. Three big things you need to know: First, globally – taking into account the views of our analysts in all of our coverage regions -- our analysts tilt constructive on performance, valuations and demand, but have more mixed/neutral views on the US and non-US political backdrops. Second, our work on global equity funds flows highlights how US, growth-oriented sector, and most cyclical sector flows faded in the final weeks of 2024, while Western Europe and defensive sector flows improved marginally. Third, within the US we have upgraded Utilities to overweight and, to offset the move, have downgraded Energy to market weight. The views of our US analyst teams as captured by the survey results really drove these changes.

The big things you need to know: First, modest downward revisions have returned to bottom-up consensus S&P 500 EPS forecasts. Second, frothy US equity market sentiment has been a problem for the US equity market, but our work suggests that many investors have become cognizant of this problem and that it is starting to self-correct. Third, outside of the biggest market cap names in the S&P 500, a number of our valuation indicators have started to contract. Fourth, US equity funds flows deteriorated as 2024 came to an end.

The format of this special edition of RBC’s Markets in Motion is a little bit different from what we usually do, and runs a little bit longer than usual. In this episode, Lori Calvasina, Head of US Equity Strategy, is joined by two of her macro partners at RBC Capital Markets, Head of US Rates Strategy, Blake Gwinn, and Equity Derivative Strategist Amy Wu Silverman. With 2024 winding down, all of their outlook reports out, and too many December investor meetings behind them to even count, these three thought leaders at RBC Capital Markets came together to discuss their thoughts on the equity market, the bond market, and volatility in the year ahead. The conversation took place on December 19th, 2024. We hope you enjoy the discussion and wish all of our regular listeners a very happy New Year.

The big things you need to know: Three big things you need to know: First, positioning in US equity futures per the weekly CFTC data has taken a tiny hit. Second, consensus US GDP forecasts have moved up, along with consensus Fed Funds and 10-year yield forecasts. Third, other things that jump out on our high frequency indicators include the continued decline in bottom-up consensus 2025 S&P 500 operating margin forecasts, geographical equity fund flow dynamics, and recent sharp inflows into momentum equity funds.

Today in the podcast: Our thoughts on the outlook for the S&P 500 sectors in 2025, with a focus on those where we've made changes to our view.

The big things you need to know: First, we have upgraded Communication Services from market weight to overweight. Second, we are downgrading Health Care to market weight from overweight. Third, we are downgrading Materials from overweight to market weight.