With earnings season more than 80% complete, EPS growth is expected to be 4.3% which is just below expectations at the beginning of the reporting season. On sector basis the data was mixed with 7 of the 11 sectors exceeding initial growth estimates led by energy. Turning to sales, the estimate growth rate is expected to be 11% which is ahead of the initial estimates of 9.7% on Oct. 1st. 2023 EPS Estimate Down To $233, Growth Expected To Be 5.3% The biggest story from our perspective has been… View More
Equities were higher for the second straight week (S&P 500 +4.0%). Despite multiple megacap earnings disappointments, the market remained resilient. The market is embracing the idea that the Fed could soon begin to slow the pace of tightening. Best performers were industrials (+6.7%) and utilities (+6.5%); worst performers were communication services (-2.9%) and consumer discretionary (+0.7%). 3Q Earnings Season Turning Out To Be Underwhelming With the third quarter earnings season about h… View More
Stocks rose last week (S&P 500 +4.7%) after falling to a 2.5 year low the week before. The increase was attributable to technical and sentiment reasons, but also Q3 earnings reports coming in less bad than feared. Best sectors were energy (+8.1%), technology (+6.5%), and materials (+6.2%); worst sectors were utilities (+2.0%), consumer staples (+2.2%), and healthcare (+2.3%). 3Q’22 Earnings Season Mixed So Far With just 20% of companies reporting thus far this earnings season, results ha… View More
The nearly 14 years of financial repression that allowed politicians to escape the economic consequences of their actions without fear of retribution from the frontier justice of free markets appears to be ending. The ever-expanding balance sheets of the world’s largest central banks effectively monetized the profligate spending of wayward fiscal policies in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Until recently, the unintended consequences of these policies were hidden from an eli… View More
Equities closed higher (S&P 500 +1.6%) in a roller-coaster week, snapping a three-week losing streak. Stocks bounced early in the week on oversold conditions and negative sentiment. There was also a renewed pickup in policy pivot hopes. The week ended with a stronger than hoped for employment report selloff. Best sector was energy (+13.9%); worst sectors were REITS (-4.1%) and utilities (-2.6%). 3Q Earnings Season To Kick Off Later This Week With The Banks With the banks expected to repo… View More