Has the stock market hit bottom yet? Bank of America says 6 of 10 signs point to no (2024)

The S&P 500’s decline this year—it’s down nearly 18% since January—accelerated last week after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated more “pain” was ahead.

Has the market hit bottom? Bank of America Research, based on its new list of 10 signals showing whether the stock market has hit bottom, says no.

The bank came up with the list, released on Friday, after analyzing “macro and bottom-up data encompassing policy, valuation, growth, sentiment and technical trends,” the researchers said.

As of Friday, only four of the 10 criteria have been met. That means there are six more that must be hit before it’s really a market bottom, at least according to Bank of America’s formula.

The four indicators that are considered triggered include the unemployment rate rising. The latest monthly jobs report, released Friday, showed that the unemployment rate rose to 3.7% in August from 3.5% the month prior, a relatively good sign in terms of reducing inflation because it hints that the economy is slowing.

Additional positive indicators for a market bottom included the bear-to-bull ratio of major investors whose sentiments lean toward a more bearish outlook. The others were multiple bear market rallies of 5% or more (the bank says there have been two rallies of 5% or more so far), and the Purchasing Managers’ Index—a measure of the prevailing direction of economic trends in manufacturing—has improved on a year-over-year basis.

But six out of 10 signs have yet to turn favorable for a market rebound, according to Bank of America.

The Federal Reserve must start cutting interest rates, which would signal that inflation is under control (in fact, the Fed has been increasing rates). Also the equity risk premium, or excess returns over the risk-free rate that investors expect for taking on the incremental risks connected to the market, must increase by more than 75 basis points.

Additionally, the two-year Treasury yield must decline 50 basis points or more from its highs; the yield curve—a tool that helps understand the bond market—must steepen; the trailing price-to-earnings ratio of the S&P 500 when added to the Consumer Price Index must be below 20; and there must be the presence of “Buy” signals within the Bank of America’s “Sell Side Indicator” that tracks average stock allocation recommendations by strategists.

In Bank of America’s view, the market has more room to drop. And it’s unclear when all of the signals of a rebound will switch from red to green.

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Has the stock market hit bottom yet? Bank of America says 6 of 10 signs point to no (2024)

FAQs

Has the stock market hit bottom yet Bank of America says 6 of 10 signs point to no? ›

The S&P 500's decline this year—it's down nearly 18% since January—accelerated last week after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated more “pain” was ahead. Has the market hit bottom? Bank of America Research, based on its new list of 10 signals showing whether the stock market has hit bottom, says no.

How do you know if a stock market has bottomed out? ›

There are a few ways to determine the bottom of a market. The two most important are price and volume. When there are few sellers in the market for a stock, it has probably bottomed out. Additionally, if the average daily trading volume of a stock has dropped significantly, it has most likely bottomed out.

How many points is a stock market crash? ›

There is no numerically specific definition of a stock market crash but the term commonly applies to declines of over 10% in a stock market index over a period of several days.

Will the stock market dip in 2024? ›

The S&P 500 generated an impressive 26.29% total return in 2023, rebounding from an 18.11% setback in 2022. Heading into 2024, investors are optimistic the same macroeconomic tailwinds that fueled the stock market's 2023 rally will propel the S&P 500 to new all-time highs in 2024.

How high can Bank of America stock go? ›

BAC Stock 12 Month Forecast

Based on 24 Wall Street analysts offering 12 month price targets for Bank of America in the last 3 months. The average price target is $39.71 with a high forecast of $46.00 and a low forecast of $33.00. The average price target represents a 2.80% change from the last price of $38.63.

How do you know if the stock market will go up or down? ›

If you study prices over a long period of time, you will be able to see all three types of trends on the same chart. Watch the slope – The slope of a trend indicates how much the price should move each day. Steep lines, moving either upward or downward, indicate a certain trend.

Which stocks have bottomed out? ›

Bottom out stocks
S.No.NameCMP Rs.
1.Waaree Renewab.1880.20
2.Angel One2624.00
3.Tanla Platforms885.00
4.Sonata Software523.30
1 more row

Has the stock market ever bottomed before a recession? ›

In almost every case, the S&P 500 has bottomed out roughly four months before the end of a recession. The index typically hits a high seven months before the start of a recession. During the last four recessions since 1990, the S&P 500 declined an average of 8.8%, according to data from CFRA Research.

How do you know when the bear market is ending? ›

If they begin to see several consecutive days where stock prices consistently go up or if certain patterns emerge on their charts that indicate that a major trend reversal may be occurring, it could mean that a bear market has finally ended.

Do I lose all my money if the stock market crashes? ›

Again, you technically don't lose any money in the stock market unless you sell your investments. If you simply hold your stocks until the market rebounds, your stocks should regain their value. The key is to ensure you're investing in strong stocks that have the ability to weather market turbulence.

What president had the highest stock market? ›

And the shocking leader of the bunch? President Calvin Coolidge, who took office in 1923, whose stock price performance change was a whopping 208.52%, for an average monthly return of 1.74%. That's the largest for any president since the start of the 20th century.

What goes up when market crashes? ›

Bonds may hold their value or increase, and individual bonds including Treasury's will continue to earn interest. Some alternative investments may increase in value. This could include gold and precious metals, real estate and others including fine art. There are no guarantees here either unfortunately.

Should I pull my money out of the stock market? ›

Unlike the rapidly dwindling balance in your brokerage account, cash will still be in your pocket or in your bank account in the morning. However, while moving to cash might feel good mentally and help you avoid short-term stock market volatility, it is unlikely to be a wise move over the long term.

Should I liquidate my stocks? ›

Investors might sell a stock if it's determined that other opportunities can earn a greater return. If an investor holds onto an underperforming stock or is lagging the overall market, it may be time to sell that stock and put the money to work in another investment.

How much will the stock market grow in the next 10 years? ›

It's all about valuation

It analyzes historical data to try and predict what returns will be over the next 10 years. According to this model, U.S. equities are set to produce annualized returns of just 4.7% in the next decade. That's a huge slowdown from the past decade.

Where does all the money go when the stock market goes down? ›

“In other words, the money did not exist or disappear for long-term investors if you did not make any transactions. However, for short-term investors, when stock prices go up or down, the money would be transferred among them as a zero-sum game, i.e. your losses would be others' gains, and vice versa.”

How do you know if the stock market crashes? ›

A stock market crash is a steep and sudden decline in the stock market. This is typically measured by sharp declines in major market indexes like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and others.

Is a decline of 10 percent or more in the price of a security or equity from its most recent peak? ›

A correction is a decline of 10% or greater in the price of a security, asset, or a financial market. Corrections can last anywhere from days to months, or even longer. While damaging in the short term, a correction can be positive, adjusting overvalued asset prices and providing buying opportunities.

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