• U.S equity markets were buffeted by several headwinds in February, including potential impending tariffs, geopolitical tensions, economic weakness and a decline in consumer confidence, with the S&P 500® closing the month down 1%. Despite reaching two all-time closing highs, gains were quickly erased, followed by a rally for The 500™ on the final trading day of the month.
  • Mid and small caps fared worse than their large-cap peers, with the S&P MidCap 400® and S&P SmallCap 600® falling 4% and 6%, respectively. Heightened inflation concerns and uncertainty regarding potential Federal Reserve rate cuts continued to weigh on investor sentiment.
  • Sector performance in February was mixed. Defensive sectors outperformed, led by Consumer Staples and Real Estate, while Industrials, Communication Services and Consumer Discretionary lagged.dashboard-us-2025-02