After a brutal first half, both markets were primed for a rebound. The spark was lit by resilient earnings and hopes that a slight cooling in rampant inflation would get the United States Federal Reserve to slow the pace of its rate hikes in time to avert an economic contraction.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
For government bonds, that means a potential flight-to-safety that would also benefit debt from investment-grade firms. But for stocks, it’s a risk to earnings that many investors may be unwilling to bear. But economists forecast a slowdown in business activity from here on, while strategists say companies will struggle to keep raising prices to defend margins, threatening earnings in the second half. In Europe, Citigroup Inc. strategist Beata Manthey sees earnings falling two per cent this year and five per cent in 2023.
Hartnett recommends taking profits should the S&P 500 climb above 4,328 points, he said in a recent note. That’s about two per cent higher than current levels.