Market Snapshot Dashboard

The market snapshot includes US major indices (S&P 500, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Russell 2000, VIX), all 11 GICS sector ETFs (XLK, XLF, XLV, XLY, XLI, XLP, XLE, XLB, XLC, XLU, XLRE), growth/value style indices, international markets (Europe and Asia-Pacific), US Treasury yields, and major commodities including gold and oil futures.

Market data is updated daily after the US market close (4:00 PM ET). The snapshot shows closing prices, daily changes, year-to-date performance, and key technical levels including 52-week highs/lows and pivot points. Data is sourced from Yahoo Finance and processed through our open-source collectors.

The VIX (Volatility Index) measures expected market volatility over the next 30 days. VIX above 20 indicates elevated fear and expected volatility - typically seen during market stress. VIX below 15 suggests calm, complacent market conditions with low expected volatility. VIX between 15-20 represents moderate, normal market conditions. The VIX often spikes during market selloffs and declines during rallies.

Sector breadth shows how many of the 11 GICS sectors are advancing versus declining. When 8+ sectors (70%+) are positive, the market has strong breadth with broad participation - a healthy sign. When only 3-4 sectors (30% or less) are advancing, the market rally is narrow and concentrated in a few areas, which can be a warning sign. Mixed breadth (5-7 sectors positive) suggests market rotation as investors shift between sectors.

Sector rotation occurs when money flows from one sector to another as market conditions change. Defensive sectors (Utilities, Consumer Staples, Health Care) outperform when investors are risk-averse or expect economic slowdown. Cyclical sectors (Technology, Consumer Discretionary, Financials) lead during economic growth and risk-on environments. Energy and Materials often lead during inflationary periods. Tracking which sectors are leading helps identify the current market regime and investor sentiment.

Rising Treasury yields can pressure stock valuations, especially growth stocks, because higher yields make bonds more attractive and increase the discount rate for future earnings. The 10-Year Treasury yield is particularly important as it influences mortgage rates and corporate borrowing costs. When the 10Y yield rises rapidly (over 4.5%), it often creates headwinds for equities. Falling yields (flight to safety) can signal economic concerns but support stock valuations through lower discount rates.

International markets provide early signals since Asian markets close before US markets open, potentially indicating direction for the US session. Divergences between regions (e.g., US strong but Europe/Asia weak) can signal regional issues or global risk sentiment shifts. Strong performance across all regions indicates broad global growth and risk-on sentiment. Weak international markets despite US strength may warn of deteriorating global conditions that could eventually impact US markets.

Gold is traditionally a safe-haven asset and inflation hedge. Rising gold prices often signal risk-off sentiment (investors fleeing to safety), inflation concerns, or dollar weakness. When gold rises alongside stocks, it may indicate inflation fears. Gold falling while stocks rally suggests risk-on sentiment with investors favoring growth assets. Gold also tends to correlate inversely with real yields - when inflation-adjusted bond yields fall, gold becomes more attractive.