Investors are flocking to large-cap stocks amidst market volatility

  • U.S. small-cap stocks have performed poorly compared to large-cap stocks
  • The Russell 2000 index has dropped over 14.4% in the past three months
  • Small-cap stocks are more vulnerable to market volatility
  • Investors are still favoring large-cap stocks due to economic changes and geopolitical tensions
  • DataTrek Research recommends staying in large caps until resolutions for the overhangs facing small caps emerge

Factuality Level: 7
Justification: The article provides data from FactSet to support its claims about the performance of small-cap stocks compared to large-cap stocks. It also includes quotes from Nicholas Colas, co-founder of DataTrek Research, to provide expert analysis. However, the article does not provide a balanced perspective by including viewpoints from other experts or sources.

Noise Level: 3
Justification: The article provides relevant information about the performance of U.S. small-cap stocks compared to large-cap stocks. It explains the reasons behind the underperformance of small caps and provides insights from an expert. The article stays on topic and supports its claims with data. However, it lacks actionable insights or solutions for investors.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The article discusses the performance of U.S. small-cap stocks and their decline in the past few months. It mentions the Russell 2000 index and the S&P Small Cap 600 index, indicating that these smaller companies have suffered worse than large-cap stocks. It also mentions the underperformance of certain sectors, such as Technology, Health Care, and Financials, in the small-cap index.

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article does not describe any extreme events or their impacts. It focuses on the performance of small-cap stocks and the factors contributing to their underperformance.

Public Companies: DataTrek (null), Russell 2000 (RUT), S&P 500 (SPX), Nasdaq Composite (COMP), S&P Small Cap 600 (SML)
Private Companies:
Key People: Nicholas Colas (Co-founder of DataTrek Research)


U.S. small-cap stocks, particularly the Russell 2000 index, have been underperforming large-cap stocks in recent months. The Russell 2000 has dropped over 14.4% in the past three months, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have experienced smaller declines. This underperformance can be attributed to several factors, including the decline of five sectors in the S&P 600 and the higher weighting of technology stocks in large-cap indexes. Additionally, small-cap stocks are more vulnerable to market volatility due to their smaller financial cushion. Recent economic changes, such as higher interest rates and geopolitical tensions, have disproportionately affected small caps. As a result, investors are favoring large-cap stocks until resolutions for these overhangs emerge. DataTrek Research recommends staying in large caps for now and warns that small-cap stocks may still face further declines.