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Navigating the Market — August 2026 Chart Book

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Daily analysis of liquidity, volatility, and market positioning — read by thousands every trading day.

Our stock market chart book for August 2026 covers where things stand as summer winds down: trend, volatility, rates, liquidity, earnings, and global markets in 66 exhibits.

Trend & Technicals

S&P 500 at inflection points
S&P 500 at inflection points
S&P 500 — price, moving averages and momentum
S&P 500 — price, moving averages and momentum
CTA trend proxy — momentum signals and flip levels
CTA trend proxy — momentum signals and flip levels
S&P 500 — distance from the 200-day moving average
S&P 500 — distance from the 200-day moving average
S&P 500 — annual returns and intra-year declines
S&P 500 — annual returns and intra-year declines
S&P 500 — drawdown from all-time high
S&P 500 — drawdown from all-time high
Breadth — equal-weight vs. cap-weight
Breadth — equal-weight vs. cap-weight
Leadership — semiconductors vs. the S&P 500
Leadership — semiconductors vs. the S&P 500
Rotation — semiconductors vs. software
Rotation — semiconductors vs. software
S&P 500 sectors — year-to-date total returns
S&P 500 sectors — year-to-date total returns

Volatility & Positioning

Dispersion minus implied correlation — and the S&P 500
Dispersion minus implied correlation — and the S&P 500
VIX term structure — 3-month minus spot
VIX term structure — 3-month minus spot
Event pricing — VIX1D minus VIX
Event pricing — VIX1D minus VIX
Implied vs. realized — VIX minus 21-day realized volatility
Implied vs. realized — VIX minus 21-day realized volatility
Correlation — implied vs. realized
Correlation — implied vs. realized
Dispersion — Cboe DSPX
Dispersion — Cboe DSPX
Single-stock vs. index volatility — VIXEQ minus VIX
Single-stock vs. index volatility — VIXEQ minus VIX

Rates & the Fed

Treasury yield curve — latest vs. 3 months and 1 year ago
Treasury yield curve — latest vs. 3 months and 1 year ago
Curve slope — 10-year minus 2-year Treasury yield
Curve slope — 10-year minus 2-year Treasury yield
The 10-year, decomposed — nominal, real and breakeven
The 10-year, decomposed — nominal, real and breakeven
Policy vs. the market — fed funds target and the 2-year
Policy vs. the market — fed funds target and the 2-year
Real yields — the 10-year since 1982
Real yields — the 10-year since 1982
Inflation expectations — the 10-year since 1982
Inflation expectations — the 10-year since 1982
The nominal 10-year, split — real yield vs. expected inflation
The nominal 10-year, split — real yield vs. expected inflation
Real-yield-minus-inflation spread — and the S&P 500
Real-yield-minus-inflation spread — and the S&P 500
Speed of the repricing — spread momentum vs. drawdowns
Speed of the repricing — spread momentum vs. drawdowns
Real-yield surges and S&P 500 pullbacks — since 1982
Real-yield surges and S&P 500 pullbacks — since 1982
The neutral-rate repricing — 5y5y forward real yield vs. the 30-year
The neutral-rate repricing — 5y5y forward real yield vs. the 30-year
Real rates vs. inflation expectations — forward real yield and the 30-year breakeven
Real rates vs. inflation expectations — forward real yield and the 30-year breakeven
The forward inflation curve — 1y1y, 2y2y and 5y5y breakevens
The forward inflation curve — 1y1y, 2y2y and 5y5y breakevens
Rate expectations — 1-year rate, 1 year forward
Rate expectations — 1-year rate, 1 year forward
Stock-bond correlation — six decades of regimes
Stock-bond correlation — six decades of regimes
Stock-bond correlation — the 60-day view
Stock-bond correlation — the 60-day view

Money & Velocity

Money velocity and the 10-year — six decades together
Money velocity and the 10-year — six decades together
Velocity's two engines — nominal growth vs. money growth
Velocity's two engines — nominal growth vs. money growth
Income vs. bank money — the monthly velocity pulse
Income vs. bank money — the monthly velocity pulse
Bank-intermediation velocity — GDP per bank dollar
Bank-intermediation velocity — GDP per bank dollar
The crossing rule — inflation vs. the 10-year
The crossing rule — inflation vs. the 10-year
Inflation's two engines — goods vs. services
Inflation's two engines — goods vs. services

Liquidity & Credit

Net liquidity and the S&P 500
Net liquidity and the S&P 500
Cumulative T-bill issuance and the S&P 500
Cumulative T-bill issuance and the S&P 500
Bitcoin and net liquidity
Bitcoin and net liquidity
High-yield bond breadth and the S&P 500
High-yield bond breadth and the S&P 500
High-yield breadth — the 1-year view
High-yield breadth — the 1-year view
Where the liquidity sits — reserves and reverse repo
Where the liquidity sits — reserves and reverse repo
Credit spreads — high yield and investment grade
Credit spreads — high yield and investment grade
Credit vs. equity — Oracle
Credit vs. equity — Oracle

Earnings & Valuation

S&P 500 valuation dashboard — current vs. history since 1999
S&P 500 valuation dashboard — current vs. history since 1999
S&P 500 — index-level forward estimates
S&P 500 — index-level forward estimates
S&P 500 — consensus earnings-per-share estimates
S&P 500 — consensus earnings-per-share estimates
Earnings revisions breadth
Earnings revisions breadth
S&P 500 dividend yield — three decades of history
S&P 500 dividend yield — three decades of history
10-year Treasury yield minus the S&P 500 dividend yield
10-year Treasury yield minus the S&P 500 dividend yield
Consensus EPS growth by sector — 2027 vs. 2026
Consensus EPS growth by sector — 2027 vs. 2026

Macro & Cross-Asset

Inflation — headline and core CPI
Inflation — headline and core CPI
Inflation swaps — market-implied CPI
Inflation swaps — market-implied CPI
Oil and short-term inflation expectations
Oil and short-term inflation expectations
Oil and the 10-year yield
Oil and the 10-year yield
Gasoline and headline CPI
Gasoline and headline CPI
Unemployment and the yield curve
Unemployment and the yield curve
US dollar — DXY index
US dollar — DXY index
Dollar funding — JPY cross-currency basis and the S&P 500
Dollar funding — JPY cross-currency basis and the S&P 500
FX matrix — year-to-date cross-rate moves
FX matrix — year-to-date cross-rate moves
Asset-class returns — ranked by year
Asset-class returns — ranked by year

International

International equities — year-to-date returns
International equities — year-to-date returns
US vs. the world — relative performance
US vs. the world — relative performance

This report contains independent commentary to be used for informational and educational purposes only. Michael Kramer is a member and investment adviser representative with Mott Capital Management. Mr. Kramer is not affiliated with this company and does not serve on the board of any related company that issued this stock. All opinions and analyses presented by Michael Kramer in this analysis or market report are solely Michael Kramer’s views. Readers should not treat any opinion, viewpoint, or prediction expressed by Michael Kramer as a specific solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell a particular security or follow a particular strategy. Michael Kramer’s analyses are based upon information and independent research that he considers reliable, but neither Michael Kramer nor Mott Capital Management guarantees its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. Michael Kramer is not under any obligation to update or correct any information presented in his analyses. Mr. Kramer’s statements, guidance, and opinions are subject to change without notice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Neither Michael Kramer nor Mott Capital Management guarantees any specific outcome or profit. You should be aware of the real risk of loss in following any strategy or investment commentary presented in this analysis. Strategies or investments discussed may fluctuate in price or value. Investments or strategies mentioned in this analysis may not be suitable for you. This material does not consider your particular investment objectives, financial situation, or needs and is not intended as a recommendation appropriate for you. You must make an independent decision regarding investments or strategies in this analysis. Upon request, the advisor will provide a list of all recommendations made during the past twelve months. Before acting on information in this analysis, you should consider whether it is suitable for your circumstances and strongly consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment adviser to determine the suitability of any investment.

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This report contains independent commentary to be used for informational and educational purposes only. Michael Kramer is a member and investment adviser representative with Mott Capital Management. Mr. Kramer is not affiliated with this company and does not serve on the board of any related company that issued this stock. All opinions and analyses presented by Michael Kramer in this analysis or market report are solely Michael Kramer’s views. Readers should not treat any opinion, viewpoint, or prediction expressed by Michael Kramer as a specific solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell a particular security or follow a particular strategy. Michael Kramer’s analyses are based upon information and independent research that he considers reliable, but neither Michael Kramer nor Mott Capital Management guarantees its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. Michael Kramer is not under any obligation to update or correct any information presented in his analyses. Mr. Kramer’s statements, guidance, and opinions are subject to change without notice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Neither Michael Kramer nor Mott Capital Management guarantees any specific outcome or profit. You should be aware of the real risk of loss in following any strategy or investment commentary presented in this analysis. Strategies or investments discussed may fluctuate in price or value. Investments or strategies mentioned in this analysis may not be suitable for you. This material does not consider your particular investment objectives, financial situation, or needs and is not intended as a recommendation appropriate for you. You must make an independent decision regarding investments or strategies in this analysis. Upon request, the advisor will provide a list of all recommendations made during the past twelve months. Before acting on information in this analysis, you should consider whether it is suitable for your circumstances and strongly consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment adviser to determine the suitability of any investment.