M2 Money Supply (Year-over-Year Change) vs S&P 500 Price-to-Earnings Ratio (Forward)

How These Two Indicators Relate

M2 Money Supply sits in the money category and S&P 500 P/E sits in the growth category, so they describe different parts of the same economy. Watching them together provides cross-checks: a coordinated move in both directions confirms a regime shift, while a divergence often reveals which sector of the economy is leading or lagging.

The two indicators are currently moving in opposite directions. M2 Money Supply has moved higher +0.1% from the prior reading, while S&P 500 P/E has moved lower -1.20. Divergent moves on related indicators usually flag a regime shift in progress — one of the two is leading and the other is lagging.

What M2 Money Supply (Year-over-Year Change) Measures

M2 is a measure of the money supply that includes cash, checking deposits, savings deposits, money market funds, and small time deposits. Year-over-year changes in M2 are a leading indicator of inflation and economic activity.

M2 growth has recovered to 3.9% year-over-year after an unprecedented contraction in 2023 (the first in modern history). The normalization of money supply growth supports economic activity without being excessively inflationary. For executives, moderate M2 growth (3-5%) is consistent with a healthy economy — it means enough liquidity to support business activity without fueling the kind of excess that drove 2021-2022 inflation.

Methodology: The Federal Reserve reports M2 weekly and monthly. Components: M1 (currency in circulation + demand deposits + other checkable deposits) plus savings deposits, small time deposits under $100,000, and retail money market funds. M2 is the most commonly cited money supply measure because it captures both transaction and savings balances. Source: FRED at the St. Louis Fed (series M2SL).

What S&P 500 Price-to-Earnings Ratio (Forward) Measures

The forward price-to-earnings ratio measures the S&P 500 index price relative to expected earnings per share over the next 12 months. It is the most widely used valuation metric for the U.S. stock market.

The S&P 500 forward P/E at 20.3x has declined from its recent highs but remains above the 25-year average of approximately 16.5x. Markets are pricing in solid earnings growth but are no longer at 'euphoric' valuations. For executives evaluating M&A, stock compensation, or capital market activity, current valuations suggest a market that is fairly valued to modestly expensive — not cheap, but not at bubble levels either.

Methodology: Forward P/E divides the current index price by the consensus estimate of aggregate earnings per share over the next 12 months. Analysts at major banks and research firms provide earnings estimates for individual S&P 500 companies, which are aggregated by data providers like FactSet, Bloomberg, and S&P Global. Source: S&P Global (series SP500_PE).

How These Comparisons Are Built

Each pairwise comparison page is statically generated from the live indicator dataset — values, trends, and source links are pre-rendered into HTML at build time. When the underlying dataset refreshes (each indicator on its own publication schedule), the comparison page regenerates automatically. ExecBolt does not estimate, model, or interpolate any reading; every value comes from the publishing agency’s primary release. For the full sourcing approach, citation format, and known limitations, see the methodology page.

For plain-language guides to the concepts behind M2 Money Supply and S&P 500 P/E, see the learn library. For tools that translate macro readings into business outputs (DCF, runway, break-even), see the calculators page. Authoritative external context comes from the Federal Reserve’s FRED database, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the SEC EDGAR system.

Frequently Asked Questions