In early June, the S&P 500 rose by over 20% from its October low, reaching its highest level since April of last year. This is often seen as an indicator of the overall health of the U.S. economy, and it generated some optimism about the trajectory of the economy.

However, when looking at the market breadth, which refers to the number of stocks that are moving the index, a less optimistic picture emerges. As of May 31 on a year-to-date basis, several tech stocks known as the “Magnificent Seven” have accounted for over 100% of the gains in the S&P 500 Index, while the rest of the stocks in the index have had negative returns over the same period.

The “Magnificent Seven” includes Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta (Facebook), Tesla, and Alphabet (Google). These stocks have gained popularity due to the growing interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Combined, they make up over 27% of the index.

Digging deeper, a comparison can be made between the returns of the S&P 500 Index, which weights stocks based on market capitalization, and the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index, which gives each security an equal weight. During normal market conditions, these two indices tend to track each other closely. However, in periods of high market concentration, they tend to diverge.

Market concentration has been on the rise, especially after governments and central banks implemented measures to stabilize the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led to a significant increase in the weight of the top five stocks in the S&P 500.

While the market conditions have been favorable for the “Magnificent Seven,” concentration within the index has changed the market dynamics and has implications for investors. Diversification is considered important to mitigate risks associated with concentrated holdings and provide exposure to a broader range of long-term opportunities.

It is important to note that this information is subject to change and should not be considered as investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results.