Feature: “Terrifying Bull Bull”

How is there such a relentless bid for big-cap tech names?

Part of it is structural. Companies like Nvidia and Microsoft can make up a combined 15% of the S&P 500 thanks to their sheer size.

And week after week, 401k and other passive investment plans put more money into market indices, benefitting these already large plays.

But we’re seeing another trend at play too. Today’s investors are increasing their stakes in big companies by moving out of small companies:

Turn Your Images On

Investors aren’t just going all in on big-tech stocks, they’re selling off better-valued small caps to do so. (Source: BofA)

It’s a feature of the most terrifying bull market of our lifetimes.

Year-to-date, over $80 billion has flowed out of small-cap U.S. stock funds. These are the companies that can include the proverbial next Nvidia or next Microsoft.

Many of these companies trade at far more reasonable valuations than Microsoft and Nvidia today. And their growth rates can be just as impressive. It’s easier for a small-cap company to double earnings than a company that’s already earning tens of billions per year.

It’s likely that investors won’t rediscover these stocks until the big-cap names falter. But for all our criticism of investor enthusiasm and high-flying valuations in the overall market today, small cap stocks are starting to look like a relative value, especially for more patient investors.

The ol’ timers will tell you “small caps lead the way out” of a bust. For now, big tech continues to suck up global capital.

~ Addison

P.S.: With the Federal Reserve on track to cut interest rates at its September meeting, the stock market as a whole may get a shot in the arm – small caps and large caps alike.

Our research has found several pockets of opportunity in small-cap stocks this year, particularly in areas that can benefit from President Trump’s Great Reset of the U.S. economy.

Key areas that have already been attractive include the cryptocurrency space, resource stocks, and plays on next-generation nuclear technologies.

As always, your reader feedback is welcome: feedback@greyswanfraternity.com (We read all emails. Thanks in advance for your contribution.)

How is there such a relentless bid for big-cap tech names?

Part of it is structural. Companies like Nvidia and Microsoft can make up a combined 15% of the S&P 500 thanks to their sheer size.

And week after week, 401k and other passive investment plans put more money into market indices, benefitting these already large plays.

But we’re seeing another trend at play too. Today’s investors are increasing their stakes in big companies by moving out of small companies:

Turn Your Images On

Investors aren’t just going all in on big-tech stocks, they’re selling off better-valued small caps to do so. (Source: BofA)

It’s a feature of the most terrifying bull market of our lifetimes.

Year-to-date, over $80 billion has flowed out of small-cap U.S. stock funds. These are the companies that can include the proverbial next Nvidia or next Microsoft.

The ol’ timers will tell you “small caps lead the way out” of a bust. For now, big tech continues to suck up global capital.

~ Addison

P.S.: With the Federal Reserve on track to cut interest rates at its September meeting, the stock market as a whole may get a shot in the arm – small caps and large caps alike.

Our research has found several pockets of opportunity in small-cap stocks this year, particularly in areas that can benefit from President Trump’s Great Reset of the U.S. economy.

Key areas that have already been attractive include the cryptocurrency space, resource stocks, and plays on next-generation nuclear technologies.

As always, your reader feedback is welcome: feedback@greyswanfraternity.com (We read all emails. Thanks in advance for your contribution.)

Sunday night, Powell addressed the probe head-on in a video post — a rarity. He accused the White House of using cost overruns in the Fed’s HQ renovation as a pretext for political interference.

The White House denied involvement. But few in Washington believed it.

What followed was bipartisan condemnation of the investigation. Greenspan, Bernanke, and Yellen co-signed a blistering rebuke, warning the U.S. was starting to resemble “emerging markets with weak institutions.”

Estimates now indicate that the average consumer will default on a minimum payment at about a 15% rate – the highest level since a spike during the pandemic lockdown of the economy.

President Trump’s proposal over the weekend to cap credit card interest at 10% for a year won’t arrive in time to help consumers who are already missing minimum payments.

Not to fret, the other 85% of borrowers continue to spend on borrowed time. Total U.S. household debt, including mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and credit cards, reached record highs in late 2025, exceeding $18.5 trillion. This surge was driven partly by rising credit card balances, which neared their own all-time peaks due to inflation and higher interest rates.

There’s an old Wall Street maxim: “Don’t fight the Fed.”

This year, you could add a Trump corollary.

A wise capital allocator doesn’t fight that storm. He doesn’t argue with it. He respects it the way sailors respect the sea: with preparation, with humility, and with a sharp eye for what breaks first.

In 2026, the things that break first are the stories. The narratives. The comfortable assumptions.

Total municipal, state and federal debt service costs soared to nearly $1.5 trillion in the third quarter of 2025. Debt’s easy to accumulate when rates are low. Trouble is, you are obligated to refinance them even after rates go up.

It’s also a key reason why the Trump administration is demanding lower interest rates – even if it means reigniting inflation.