The Money Wise guys are back with another look at last week’s numbers from Wall Street, with the Dow Jones rising 936 points (+2.2%), the S&P 500 gaining 105 points (+1.7%), and the NASDAQ climbing 324 points (+1.7%). Year-to-date, the markets are showing steady gains, with the Dow up 4.4%, the S&P 500 up 3.7%, and the NASDAQ up 3.3%. The conversation highlights a notable shift in market dynamics, as investors moved away from the "Magnificent 7" tech stocks that drove much of the market in 2023 and 2024. This reallocation has broadened market participation, leading to stronger performance from other sectors such as healthcare, industrials, and financials.

The guys discuss their 2025 portfolio adjustments, reducing exposure to large-cap tech stocks and introducing 13 new holdings across diverse sectors to embrace a more equally weighted and diversified approach. They highlight the benefits of broader market participation, noting that while tech giants like Apple remain strong, their high valuations make them vulnerable to volatility. The episode also emphasizes the advantages of equally weighted strategies, which have outperformed traditional market-cap-weighted indices this year, and stresses the importance of understanding portfolio composition. Overall, they view this shift toward diversification as a positive trend for the market and investors in 2025.

Equally weighted strategies and market-cap-weighted indices differ in how they allocate investments. Market-cap-weighted indices, like the traditional S&P 500, give more weight to larger companies, meaning a few mega-cap stocks can heavily influence market performance. In contrast, equally weighted strategies assign the same weight to each stock, promoting broader market participation. This distinction is important because equally weighted strategies can provide a more balanced exposure, helping to reduce investors reliance on a small number of dominant companies. In times of profit-taking or volatility among large-cap stocks, equally weighted strategies may outperform, offering diversification and potentially more stable returns.

In the second hour, the Money Wise guys dig into What Wall Street Won’t Tell You. You don’t want to miss the details! Tune in for the full discussion on your favorite podcast provider or at davidsoncap.com, where you can also learn more about the Money Wise guys or take advantage of a portfolio review and analysis with Davidson Capital Management.