A key market sentiment indicator from Barclays is flashing warning signs of excessive speculation in US stocks. The bank’s “Equity Euphoria Indicator” has risen to 10.7%, well above its historical average of 7% and matching levels seen during previous market bubbles.
This surge coincides with multiple signs of frothy market behavior: ARK Innovation ETF posting historic gains, SPAC listings exceeding the past two years combined, and volatile sectors like Bitcoin stocks (+78%), quantum computing (+69%), and meme stocks (+44%) recording massive second-quarter rallies.
While optimism stems from potential trade deals and Fed rate cuts, market experts caution that fundamentals have been abandoned in favor of narrative-driven speculation, setting up potential for significant volatility ahead.