Recession fears are fading. Now it’s time for America’s companies to back that up
CNN
Hopes for avoiding a recession are growing on Wall Street. Now, investors are looking for the coming earnings season to support that optimism.
Hopes for avoiding a recession are growing on Wall Street. Now, investors are looking for the coming earnings season to support that optimism. Companies in the S&P 500 reporting third-quarter results are expected to have posted a 3.7% rise in profits from the prior year, according to FactSet estimates. That would mark the fifth consecutive quarter of earnings growth. The S&P 500 index has gained roughly 21% for the year, notching dozens of record highs along the way as artificial intelligence enthusiasm helps drive stocks higher. Rising confidence that the US economy will achieve a soft landing, or a scenario in which inflation comes down without a recession, has also helped boost stocks in recent months. Now, investors are looking to the upcoming earnings season for clues about the US economy’s health. Recent data has suggested that the US economy is still on strong footing. Job gains in September blew past expectations. The Bureau of Economic Analysis’s third estimate of second-quarter US gross domestic product came in at a solid 3% annual rate. Early quarterly updates have shown a mixed view of the US economy. PepsiCo beat profit predictions but missed revenue expectations. The company also lowered its 2024 revenue forecast. Conagra Brands reported a decrease in quarterly sales but reiterated its 2025 outlook. General Motors raised its full-year adjusted earnings guidance. “It’s all about putting together a detailed picture of the economy as a whole,” said Sarah Henry, managing director at Logan Capital.
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