Weekly Market Commentary

Q3 EARNINGS SHOULD BE FINE, BUT EXPECTATIONS BEYOND THIS QUARTER ARE HIGH

Jeffrey Buchbinder, CFA, Chief Equity Strategist, LPL Financial

The bar for third quarter earnings is low, with analysts currently expecting only about a 3% increase in S&P 500 earnings per share (EPS). That low bar and a supportive economic environment points to potential upside. However, stocks may already be pricing in solid results, with the S&P 500 up more than 7% since the third quarter began on July 1. Here we preview earnings season and discuss some of the key drivers of earnings growth in the year ahead.