S&P 500 Earnings Estimates Are Cut

Analysts are now cutting their forecasts for Standard & Poor’s 500 Index earnings, and according to the Bloomberg report, "jeopardizing gains from the biggest September rally since World War II".


"Estimates for S&P 500 companies’ combined 2011 profit fell as low as $95.17 last month from an August high of $96.16 and posted the first quarterly reduction since the three months ended June 2009, according to more than 8,500 analyst forecasts tracked by Bloomberg.
Money managers are preparing for weaker returns in October. Kick off for earnings season is Oct 7 for Alcoa, as usual.
"Analysts cut 2011 profit estimates for benchmark stock indexes in 20 of the world’s 24 developed markets last month as U.S. unemployment remains near the highest in 27 years and European lawmakers enact austerity measures to shrink budget deficits. Income forecasts for the FTSE 100 Index of U.K. companies have fallen 4.9 percent since the end of May, while those in Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index are down 1.5 percent since February, data compiled by Bloomberg show".

"Estimates show S&P 500 earnings may rise 15 percent in 2011, down from a forecast of 20 percent growth in March, Bloomberg data show. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2 percent to 1,146.24 last week amid lingering concern that Europe’s government debt crisis may threaten the economic recovery."