Corporate Earnings Growth Estimates: Positive but Coming Down

By Tom Burnett CFA The latest (February 21, 2020) Earnings Insight report from FACTSET provides earnings estimates for the S/P 500 Index. We regularly check these surveys to monitor analyst forecasts and changes in forecasts for the Index earnings expectations. The average view for 2020 earnings on the…

By Tom Burnett CFA As the U.S. stock markets opened on Monday, February 24, 2020, global interest rates continued to decline sharply. Rates on the ten-year government bonds are now negative is six major countries (France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Netherlands, and Sweden). Equity markets are selling…

By Tom Burnett, CFA On February 13, 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released consumer price inflation data for the month of January. Overall CPI inflation was up 0.1% from the prior month and 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. The Core rate, excluding food and energy, rose 0.2% for the month, and 2…

By Tom Burnett, CFA On February 7, 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the January report on ‘The Employment Situation’. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 225,000, well above the consensus estimates of 165,000 (Bloomberg LP). Total revisions for the previous two months added 7,000…

By Tom Burnett, CFA On Wednesday, January 29, 2020, the Federal Reserve concluded its two-day meeting with a formal announcement that it would not be changing the Fed Funds rate. The target rate remains a range of 1.5% to 1.75%. The Fed’s formal policy statement noted that inflation was low and economic…