Headline: Markets Snapshot: AI Rally Lifts Stocks, Crypto Mixed, Japan in Focus
The risk-on trade continues to reshape portfolios as the AI-driven equity rally pushes retirement balances to new highs, while crypto markets swing and Japan’s policy outlook grabs attention. Investors are weighing momentum against valuation risks across stocks, bonds, and digital assets.
A surge in the S&P 500—up 8.1%—has propelled the number of 401(k) millionaires to a record 654,000, with more millennials joining the ranks. Family offices are quietly accumulating beaten-down names even as major indexes notch fresh highs, a move some see as a savvy rotation and others fear could be a bull trap. On the single-stock front, Palantir was downgraded to Hold with a $188 price target, and the shares slipped below their 50-day moving average as traders debate how far the AI trade can run. Strategists remain constructive: one house projects the S&P 500 could climb another 11% by 2026, with risk assets potentially advancing 16%, though valuations remain a key watchpoint.
Macro signals out of Japan added to the week’s cross-currents. The yen weakened while Japanese government bond yields pushed higher toward notable highs, stoking speculation about stimulus durability and putting the Bank of Japan’s next steps under the microscope. In digital assets, Bitcoin erased as much as $1 trillion in market value at one point, sparking a defensive tone across crypto. Even so, spot Bitcoin ETFs broke a five-day outflow streak with $75 million in net inflows, led by IBIT at $60 million, though some products still saw redemptions. Traders are watching the $90,000 area as a key support level.
Key Points: – Record 654,000 401(k) millionaires as the S&P 500 gains 8.1%, with millennials increasingly represented. – Family offices buy laggards despite index highs, dividing views on rotation vs. bull trap risk. – Palantir downgraded to Hold with a $188 target; shares slip below the 50-day moving average amid AI valuation concerns. – Yen weakens and JGB yields climb, keeping the Bank of Japan’s policy path in focus. – Bitcoin’s market value saw a sharp drawdown, but spot ETFs posted $75M in inflows led by IBIT. – Strategists see potential for the S&P 500 to rise 11% by 2026 and risk assets to gain 16%, contingent on earnings and valuations.
