Week in the Charts (12/3/25)

Look video of this post here.

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This week’s post is sponsored by YCharts.

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10 Things to Be Thankful for…

1) Decrease in Unemployment Claims

US Jobless Claims have fallen to their lowest level since August, indicating fewer people are filing for unemployment insurance. Although the labor market is indeed weak, this is a good sign. In a recession, this number will tend to be higher.

2) More Affordable Rent

US rents fell 1.1% compared to last year, the 30th consecutive month of YoY decline.

If you’re currently renting and waiting to buy a home, here’s the good news: renting a home is now cheaper than paying a mortgage in the 50 largest metros in the US. And the average monthly cost of buying a home is 40% higher than renting.

3) Record Household Net Worth

U.S. household net worth has increased more than 6x in the last 30 years to a record $160 trillion.

4) No Recession This Year

Polymarket’s odds of a US recession in 2025 have fallen from 66% to 2% over the past eight months.

There is still a backlog of unreleased data due to the government shutdown, but the Federal Reserve is projecting strong third-quarter growth figures with US real GDP rising 3.9%.

5) Diversified Economy

The table below shows the 30 best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 over the past 30 years.

Apart from the amazing results, what stands out?

Many different industry groups are represented, from Automotive to Aerospace, Health Care Equipment to Household Durables, and Specialty Retail to Semiconductors.

This is very good to see because it means the economy will be much more resilient (not dependent on just one industry) than in the past, thereby reducing economic downturns. This also provides more opportunities for workers to find a career path that best suits their abilities and interests.

6) One of the Biggest Comebacks in History

On April 8, the S&P 500 was down 15% on the year, its 4th worst start to the year in history. But the year didn’t end there, and what we’ve seen since is one of the greatest comebacks in history. From its closing low on April 8, the S&P 500 has risen 37%, and is now up more than 16% on the year (17.5% including dividends).

7) Record Income & Profit Margin

S&P 500 operating income is on pace to hit another record high in 2025, up 13% compared to last year. This figure is almost double the historical revenue growth rate since 1989.

The S&P 500’s profit margin rose to 13.6% in the 3rd quarter, its highest level in history.

8) Record #401(k) Millionaire

There are now 654,000 401(k) millionaires at Fidelity alone, a record high and more than double the number than three years ago.

9) Capitalism and Compounding

Here are the total returns of the S&P 500 ETF over the last…

• 1 Year: +15%
• 2 Year: +53%
• 3 Years: +75%
• 5 Years: +100%
• 7 Years: +173%
• 10 Year: +294%
• 15 Year: +631%
• 20 Year: +684%
• 30 Year: +1,790%

10) Rising Real Wages

After posting record negative real wage growth for 25 consecutive months, wages have now exceeded reported inflation on a YoY basis for 29 consecutive months. This is a good sign for American workers and we hope it continues.

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And that’s all for this week. Thanks for reading!

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Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal or tax advice, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Read our full disclosure here.