The year 2017 has been great for the overall broader market. However, large-cap stocks have performed better than small caps. Hopes of solid growth in the U.S. economy have been high given promises of deregulation and fiscal reflation made by President Donald Trump. U.S. consumer sentiment is hovering around a decade high.
Things are shaping up even on the earnings front. As per the Earnings Trends
Corporates have been strengthening not only in the United States but also in Europe and other so-long besieged regions. The euro zone is forecast to have expanded 2.2% in 2017, the quickest clip in a decade, according to the European Commission.
The greenback has been a little subdued this year on geopolitical threats and occasional policy uncertainty. Overall, PowerShares DB US Dollar Bullish ETF (UUP – Free Report) is down more than 9% year to date (as of Dec 22, 2017) (read:After a Weak 2017, Can Dollar ETFs Rebound in 2018?).
Investors should note that large-cap stocks perform better in a falling dollar environment as these have wide foreign exposure. Foreign economies are looking up lately, making the case for large-cap investing even stronger.
So, easy access to cheap money flows has resulted in a surging stock market. The combination of these factors has boosted the stock market. This is especially true as growth investing is basically a momentum play and a great strategy in a trending market.