Buffett Indicator

US market cap relative to US GDP.

A very high ratio suggests the market is absorbing a growing share of the economy's output. It is most useful as a long-horizon valuation condition, not a precise timing call.

High-Yield Credit Spread

The extra yield investors demand to hold junk bonds.

When spreads compress too far, the market can become more vulnerable to a sudden repricing. Wide spreads usually signal stress and reduced risk appetite.

Investment-Grade OAS

The extra yield investors demand for high-quality corporate bonds.

Very tight spreads can show broad credit-market comfort. It is a calmer companion to high-yield spreads and helps separate general credit complacency from junk-bond stress.

S&P 500 ÷ M2

The index level divided by broad money supply, in billions.

When the index rises faster than the money supply backing it, the market can become increasingly detached from the underlying monetary backdrop -- a liquidity-driven rally rather than one grounded in broader economic growth.

Crypto Speculation

Total crypto market value as a proxy for speculative appetite.

When speculative assets surge alongside stretched equity valuations, it can suggest investors are comfortable reaching far out on the risk curve.

Margin Debt

Borrowed money used to buy securities.

High margin balances can amplify both upside and downside. A market with heavy leverage can feel more euphoric than fundamentals alone would suggest.

Shiller CAPE

A long-run earnings multiple that smooths business-cycle noise.

CAPE is one of the most widely watched long-horizon valuation metrics. Elevated readings tend to coincide with lower subsequent returns over the next decade, although they do not predict a precise market top.

10Y-3M Yield Curve

The gap between 10-year and 3-month Treasury yields.

A negative 10Y-3M spread says the bond market expects easier conditions ahead, often because growth is expected to weaken. That can make an expensive market more fragile.

Unemployment Rate

The share of the labor force that is unemployed.

High unemployment usually implies less consumer strength and more recession risk. It can also be a useful context check on valuations.

CBOE Put/Call Ratio

A popular options-based sentiment read of fear and complacency.

When investors are aggressively buying calls and the ratio falls too far, the market can be underpricing downside risk. Elevated ratios often show stress rather than froth.

10Y-2Y Yield Curve

The gap between 10-year and 2-year Treasury yields.

It is a classic recession signal, and a sharply inverted curve can be a warning that the market is becoming more fragile even if a crash is not imminent.

VIX

A measure of expected near-term volatility.

Low VIX readings can mean investors are comfortable, but that same complacency can be fragile when an exogenous shock arrives. High VIX readings are a stress signal.

AAII Sentiment

The spread between bullish and bearish responses in the AAII survey.

Very high bullishness often coincides with crowded positioning and lower future risk-adjusted returns. Extreme pessimism can be a useful contrarian sign.

10Y Treasury Yield

The yield on a 10-year US Treasury note.

Higher yields can pressure valuations, while lower yields tend to support higher prices when the economy is still healthy.

Sahm Rule

A real-time recession trigger based on unemployment deterioration.

It is not a froth signal, but it keeps the bubble meter grounded in the real economy. A stretched market with rising recession risk is a different setup from a stretched market with sturdy employment.