S&P 500, VIX Volatility Index, Quantity and Seasonality Speaking Factors:

• The Market Perspective: S&P 500 Vary Between 4,100 and three,600; Bearish S&P 500 Beneath 3,500
• The S&P 500 absorbed an approximate -20 % loss in 2022, the worst yr’s efficiency for the index since 2008
• Whereas there are unresolved basic issues that proceed to signify a burden to sentiment heading into 2023, there’s additionally favorable evaluation – comparable to seasonality norms

We now have delivered to an in depth the 2022 buying and selling yr and at the moment are heading into 2023. As is usually anticipated within the last bout of liquidity in most buying and selling years, speculative urge for food misplaced traction by way of the ultimate weeks of December. From a purely statistical standpoint, the fourth quarter of 2023 registered a 6.1 % restoration for the S&P 500 – which I exploit as a stand in for ‘threat developments’ – following three consecutive quarters of loss (the primary such stretch since 2008). Nonetheless, on the yr, the identical index finally misplaced -20 %. That’s the worst yr because the Nice Monetary Disaster in 2008 and the third worst yearly efficiency for the benchmark in 48 years. Prior to now century, the S&P 500 has solely misplaced floor on this time-frame 30 out of the 100 years. There have solely been 4 situations in that very same time-frame the place the markets realized consecutive years within the learn – the final being the 2000 to 2002 three-year and -40 % slide. Excluding the Nice Melancholy of the early Thirties, the yr following a -20 % or higher loss from the S&P 500 averaged a 21 % acquire.

Chart of S&P 500 on Logarithmic Scale with 1-Yr Charge of Change (Yearly)

Chart Created on Tradingview Platform

Statistics can provide invaluable perception, however such averages shouldn’t be construed as certainty of what lies forward. Elementary circumstances change over the span of weeks, months and years, chopping throughout the traditional format of a calendar. Whereas back-to-back yearly losses are uncommon traditionally, an extension of losses by way of a portion of the next yr is way more frequent. That’s vital to recollect as we head into 2023 contemplating that a number of the most vital, prevailing basic themes of the earlier yr haven’t resolved in help of the bulls. Painful inflation, commerce encumbrances, tighter monetary circumstances and recession issues are among the many prime themes threatening continued stress. As we transfer into the close to yr, developments will finally nudge the scales on these prime themes; however within the absence of an amazing basic urge, merchants and buyers ought to take note seasonal averages.

Chart of S&P 500 Emini Futures with Quantity and Overlaid with VIX Volatility Index (Day by day)

Chart Created on Tradingview Platform

Beginning on a month-to-month foundation, it’s vital to achieve a much bigger image of the market setting that we usually see at the beginning of the yr. Traditionally, the month of January has averaged a 0.9 % acquire over the month, however the year-to-year efficiency can differ drastically. Extra helpful to me when averaging out circumstances is the amount and volatility typical of the timeframe. Quantity has elevated modestly from December to January based on month-end comparisons, however averaging out the months based on day by day ranges, January is just modestly greater in comparison with the earlier month. On a buying and selling day adjusted foundation, nonetheless, January is the second thinnest month of turnover of the calendar yr. Compared, volatility picks as much as begin the yr. Assessing volatility as the typical shut of the VIX every day by way of the month, the ‘concern index’ has averaged 19.6 from 1990 to 2021. Exercise on that measure accelerates into February and peaks for the yr in March.

Chart of Common S&P 500 Efficiency, Quantity and Volatility by Month from 1990 to Current (Month-to-month)

Chart Created by John Kicklighter

Relative to the yr, January doesn’t look significantly outstanding in comparison with the extremes of March or October volatility peaks, Might quantity doldrums or the November-December strongest bullish common. For simply the month of January, I needed to provide context to how considerably efficiency has diverged from yr to yr. Amongst a stunning vary of market members, there’s some degree of expectation that how January pans out will inform the efficiency for the complete yr. Because it occurs, from 1950 by way of this previous yr, the opening month’s path matched the yr finish efficiency (each constructive or each unfavorable) 53 out of the 73 years in that spectrum. As for exercise degree, the vary in January has oscillated considerably from very lively to very quiet over the previous 7 years.

Chart of S&P 500 Efficiency and Vary for January 1950 by way of 2021 (Month-to-month)

Chart Created by John Kicklighter

On a shorter foundation, the opening week of the yr averages some stronger readings. Breaking every year down into its 52 calendar weeks and averaging efficiency from 1900 up by way of 2021, the primary week of the yr averages the strongest efficiency of the complete yr traditionally. After all, that may completely different from year-to-year; however the reallocation of capital by funds in the beginning of every yr is a reasonably constant affect. Within the absence of a extra urgent basic matter or robust sentiment wind, markets could also be inspired to default to seasonal norms.

Chart of S&P 500 Efficiency Per Week from 1900 to Current (Weekly)

Chart Created by John Kicklighter

In distinction to efficiency, the measure of quantity (which I exploit as a proxy for participation) by way of the opening week proffers a considerably deflated common. That has extra to do with the truth that the month of January can truly begin on completely different days of the week relying on the yr. Nonetheless, the vacation following the New Years (whether or not celebrated on the primary of the month or first buying and selling day after) does naturally scale back exercise over the span of the complete week.

Chart of Common S&P 500 Weekly Quantity from 1950 to Current (Weekly)

Chart Created by John Kicklighter

The foil to quantity, volatility tends to extend from the ultimate weeks of the previous yr to the open of the brand new one. Beneath, we see that the transition from 2021 to 2022 was considerably deflated, but it surely shortly escalated into the slide that finally drove us to the bear market we’d register later within the yr. The VIX was comparatively deflated by way of December compared to common efficiency mapped out by way of the yr, which can translate right into a view that the markets are undercounting the potential for shock and sharp market motion as liquidity is restored – that’s additional compounded by the extraordinarily low readings of the VVIX (volatility of volatility index) and SKEW (tail threat index).

Chart of VIX Volatility Index with Common VIX Efficiency Per Week Since Inception (Weekly)

Chart Created by John Kicklighter

A final thing to ponder heading into the brand new yr. Altering out a comparability of the opening week and month of yearly going again to 1950 (or 1990 within the case of the VIX), it’s price narrowing the analysis to only this previous yr. The circumstances had been very distinctive relative to the historic common as we transitioned from profound risk-seeking complacency into the progressive slide that we finally rendered by way of the tip of the yr. Provided that the S&P 500 was vary certain these previous few weeks, it doesn’t appear that there’s a short-term skew in speculative positioning that can immediate an unwind. Volatility however is especially low and appears extra prone to accelerating sooner than what we realized in January 2022. In the end, it pays to know what the historic averages are with regards to market efficiency; however this could solely set a backdrop to interpret as we analyze the distinctive developments that can unfold as we transfer into 2023.

Chart of S&P 500 with Quantity and VIX Volatility Index Specializing in January 2022 (Day by day)

Chart Created on Tradingview Platform