US stocks ticked up to another record close yesterday (Jan. 8) – the fifth consecutive trading day with a new high, based on the S&P 500 Index. For much of the last two years, in fact, equities been rising steadily and forging new peaks with remarkably low levels of volatility. How long can the calm endure? No one knows, but it’s a safe bet that at some point the market’s tranquility will end. Low-vol regimes aren’t unusual for the stock market, but they come with a limited shelf life. What are the warning signs that will signal regime shift? Let’s consider some possibilities, including a pair of metrics to monitor the trend that may help us decide when the jig is up.
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