AlexSecret/iStock via Getty Images The average S&P 500 stock gained 35% in the year leading up to the index's most recent all-time closing high made last Thursday (5/14). Since then, we've seen the biggest winners in the last year finally experience some gravity, while beaten-down stocks have shown signs of life. The tables below show the most extreme moves in the index in the year leading up to M...
AlexSecret/iStock via Getty Images The average S&P 500 stock gained 35% in the year leading up to the index's most recent all-time closing high made last Thursday (5/14). Since then, we've seen the biggest winners in the last year finally experience some gravity, while beaten-down stocks have shown signs of life. The tables below show the most extreme moves in the index in the year leading up to May 14th, along with performance in the two and a half trading days since then. Sixteen S&P 500 stocks gained more than 200% year-over-year through 5/14. As shown in the first table below, every one of these stocks has fallen since 5/14 for an average decline of 12.5%. On the flip side, 13 S&P 500 stocks were more than cut in half (down 50%+) in the year leading up to 5/14. Since then, they've averaged a gain of 10.1%! Below we've broken the S&P 500 into deciles (10 groups of 50 stocks each) based on year-over-year share-price performance through last Thursday (5/14). For each decile, we've calculated the average percentage change since 5/14. As shown, the decile of the best-performing stocks y/y through 5/14 is down an average of 8% since then, while the decile of the worst-performing stocks y/y through 5/14 is up 7.1%. Last March 24th, we highlighted the 25-year anniversary of the dot-com bubble peak in a Chart of the Day for members. The year leading up to the March 24th, 2000 peak saw similar but more extreme moves within the S&P 500. As shown below, the best-performing decile of stocks in the year leading up to 3/24/2000 gained 438.9% over that period, while the worst-performing decile of stocks fell an average of 49.3%. In the year after the 3/24/2000 peak, the decile of best performers y/y at the dot-com peak averaged a decline of 50%! The decile of worst performers in the year leading up to 3/24/2000 averaged a gain of 33.4% over the following year. Below is a table showing the best- and worst-performing stocks in the year leading up to the dot-com peak and how they ...
Billy Joel has condemned an upcoming biopic titled Billy & Me, told through the eyes of his first manager, as “legally and professionally misguided”. Billy & Me, which was announced on Tuesday, is set to tell the story of Joel’s first manager Irwin Mazur, who discovered the singer in 1966, signed him in 1970 and oversaw his career up until Joel signed with Columbia Records in 1972. His career took...
Billy Joel has condemned an upcoming biopic titled Billy & Me, told through the eyes of his first manager, as “legally and professionally misguided”. Billy & Me, which was announced on Tuesday, is set to tell the story of Joel’s first manager Irwin Mazur, who discovered the singer in 1966, signed him in 1970 and oversaw his career up until Joel signed with Columbia Records in 1972. His career took off with his album Piano Man one year later. Casting is now under way, with film-maker John Ottman, who recently edited the hit Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, set to direct. However, Billy & Me does not have Joel’s approval, rights to his music, or his life rights – the latter essentially being an agreement studios strike to buy a person’s permission to adapt their personal story without the threat of lawsuits. In a statement to Variety, Joel’s representative said on Tuesday: “Since 2021, the parties involved have been officially notified that they do not possess Billy Joel’s life rights and will not be able to secure the music rights required for this project. “Billy Joel has not authorised or supported this project in any capacity, and any attempt to move forward without it would be both legally and professionally misguided.” The film’s screenwriter, Adam Ripp, responded to Joel in the Hollywood Reporter. “At no point have we ever claimed to control or possess rights to Billy Joel’s original songs, nor has this film ever been conceived around the use of his hit catalog,” he said. “The project was always designed as an intimate origin story focused on the people and relationships surrounding Billy during this specific period of his life.” Ripp said the production holds the exclusive life rights for Mazur, as well as Joel’s longtime friend and former bandmate Jon Small, who is attached to the film as a consultant, co-executive producer and second unit director. Small and Joel first met as teenagers and were in the 1960s band the Hassles together, which put out Joel’s fir...
googl Google GOOG Stock Reverses Under 400 Despite Analyst Upgrades, Amid Antitrust Concerns and Rising AI Costs As investors grow more wary about rising AI infrastructure costs, European regulatory pressure, and lofty expectations for future growth, Alphabet shares are pulling down from all-time highs. Written by: Skerdian Meta • • 4 min read • Quick overview Alphabet shares have retreated from r...
googl Google GOOG Stock Reverses Under 400 Despite Analyst Upgrades, Amid Antitrust Concerns and Rising AI Costs As investors grow more wary about rising AI infrastructure costs, European regulatory pressure, and lofty expectations for future growth, Alphabet shares are pulling down from all-time highs. Written by: Skerdian Meta • • 4 min read • Quick overview Alphabet shares have retreated from record highs due to concerns over rising AI infrastructure costs and regulatory pressures in Europe. Despite a strong earnings report, investor focus has shifted to the sustainability of growth amid increasing operational risks. Berkshire Hathaway's significant increase in its Alphabet stake has bolstered investor optimism, even as regulatory scrutiny looms. The company's aggressive capital expenditures for AI development could pressure margins, leading to heightened scrutiny from investors. Live GOOGL Chart GOOGL 0.0000 MARKETS TREND [[GOOGL-graph]] As investors grow more wary about rising AI infrastructure costs, European regulatory pressure, and lofty expectations for future growth, Alphabet shares are pulling down from all-time highs. Alphabet Pulls Back After Record Rally Alphabet shares moved lower after recently reaching record highs, slipping below the $390 level as investors reassessed the balance between aggressive AI expansion and rising operational risks. The stock declined roughly 2.6% after touching highs near $408.60, reversing part of a powerful earnings-driven rally that had pushed sentiment sharply higher earlier this month. Despite the pullback, Wall Street analysts continue raising price targets. Ahead of Google I/O, Sundar Pichai opened the company’s annual developer conference with renewed focus on AI products, cloud services, and the future of Android integration. At the same time, Justin Post lifted his target on Alphabet shares to $430 while maintaining a Buy rating, arguing that long-term earnings growth still supports higher valuations. Investor op...
googl Google GOOG Stock Reverses Under 390 Despite Analyst Upgrades, Amid Antitrust Concerns and Rising AI Costs Alphabet shares are declining from all-time highs as investors become increasingly cautious about growing AI infrastructure costs, regulatory pressure from Europe, and high expectations for future growth. Written by: Skerdian Meta • • 4 min read • Quick overview Alphabet shares have ret...
googl Google GOOG Stock Reverses Under 390 Despite Analyst Upgrades, Amid Antitrust Concerns and Rising AI Costs Alphabet shares are declining from all-time highs as investors become increasingly cautious about growing AI infrastructure costs, regulatory pressure from Europe, and high expectations for future growth. Written by: Skerdian Meta • • 4 min read • Quick overview Alphabet shares have retreated from record highs due to concerns over rising AI infrastructure costs and regulatory pressures in Europe. Despite a strong earnings report, investor focus has shifted to the sustainability of growth amid increasing operational risks. Berkshire Hathaway's significant increase in its Alphabet stake has bolstered investor optimism, even as regulatory scrutiny looms. The company's aggressive capital expenditures for AI development could pressure margins, leading to heightened scrutiny from investors. Live GOOGL Chart GOOGL 0.0000 MARKETS TREND [[GOOGL-graph]] Alphabet shares are declining from all-time highs as investors become increasingly cautious about growing AI infrastructure costs, regulatory pressure from Europe, and high expectations for future growth. Alphabet Pulls Back After Record Rally Alphabet shares moved lower after recently reaching record highs, slipping below the $390 level as investors reassessed the balance between aggressive AI expansion and rising operational risks. The stock declined roughly 2.6% after touching highs near $408.60, reversing part of a powerful earnings-driven rally that had pushed sentiment sharply higher earlier this month. Despite the pullback, Wall Street analysts continue raising price targets. Ahead of Google I/O, Sundar Pichai opened the company’s annual developer conference with renewed focus on AI products, cloud services, and the future of Android integration. At the same time, Justin Post lifted his target on Alphabet shares to $430 while maintaining a Buy rating, arguing that long-term earnings growth still supports high...
Jira Pliankharom/iStock via Getty Images Market Review U.S. markets entered the year navigating mixed economic signals and rising policy uncertainty, but the quarter ultimately became defined by geopolitical shock rather than domestic fundamentals. January and February were characterized by a fragile disinflation narrative, modest equity gains, and persistent debate over the U.S. Federal Reserve's...
Jira Pliankharom/iStock via Getty Images Market Review U.S. markets entered the year navigating mixed economic signals and rising policy uncertainty, but the quarter ultimately became defined by geopolitical shock rather than domestic fundamentals. January and February were characterized by a fragile disinflation narrative, modest equity gains, and persistent debate over the U.S. Federal Reserve's ((Fed's)) next move. That backdrop shifted abruptly in March, when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a sharp risk-off move, an energy supply shock, and a reassessment of both inflation and growth risks that fully dominated markets in March—the worst month for U.S. stocks in a year. U.S. listed real estate, as represented by the FTSE Nareit Equity REITs Index (Index), however, posted positive results, outperforming the S&P 500® index by 9.15% year-to-date on a total return basis. The top performing U.S. real estate sectors were data centers, specialty, and freestanding. We increased our positions to data center REITs during last year's underperformance, and they subsequently outperformed in early 2026, with recent earnings reports supporting our overweight positioning. The biggest laggards were offices, single family homes, and apartments. Artificial intelligence developments fueled job loss concerns in the office sector, while apartments and single family homes gave guidance in 2026 below estimates amid challenging residential fundamentals. Portfolio Review The Virtus Duff & Phelps Real Estate Securities Fund underperformed the Index for the quarter. Contributors The data center sector contributed the most to the first quarter's performance. We are overweight all three listed data center REITs in the U.S. : Equinix, Digital Realty, and Iron Mountain, and these holdings were the top three contributors to performance in the quarter. Each of the three data center REITs issued robust guidance for 2026 and experienced growth thanks to rising demand for interconnection,...