Next up, earnings season

Stocks closed the week little changed as investors continue to digest the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut. Up next on the market calendar is third-quarter earnings season. With reports on deck to be released this month, investors will get a better understanding of the health of corporate America. [Header]( Next Up, Earnings Season Dear reader, Stocks closed the week little changed as investors continue to digest the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut. Up next on the market calendar is third-quarter earnings season. With reports on deck to be released this month, investors will get a better understanding of the health of corporate America. According to FactSet, S&P 500 earnings are expected to increase 4.6% in the third quarter – making it the fifth consecutive quarter of growth. The strength will be led by projected double-digit gains in the information technology (IT), health care, and communication services industries. Meanwhile, energy stocks are forecast to be the laggard – with potentially double-digit declines due to falling oil prices this year. S&P 500 revenue is expected to increase 4.8%, which would mark the 16th consecutive quarter of growth. Based on earnings projections for the next 12 months, the S&P 500 trades with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 21.6. That’s above both the 10-year average (18) and five-year average (19.5). The market is a bit pricey based on those metrics. But remember, not all market environments are the same. We can’t judge them based on one valuation method. Besides, in the next decade-plus, the market should be able to handle higher-than-average valuations thanks to the growth that’s being led by artificial intelligence (AI) and increased productivity. I’ll keep you updated on the latest as earnings are released in the next few weeks. And of course, I’ll monitor how the market reacts. For now, let’s recap everything we talked about in Market Insights this week... Monday: The next big event on the calendar is the November U.S. presidential election. In just 36 days, Americans will head to polling stations to cast their vote for the 47th president of the United States. That's why, over the next five weeks, my goal is to help you prepare for what’s ahead. [Click here to read It's Time to Build Your Election Portfolio](. Tuesday: Tuesday marked the start of the fourth and final quarter of the year. The broad market traded higher in the third quarter and several sectors experienced the kind of gains that are typical for a full year. But now, it's time to prepare for the last three months of 2024. [Click here to read A Third Quarter to Remember](. Wednesday: The third quarter is officially in the books, and the best-performing sector of the year so far has been utility stocks. This often considered “boring” sector is up big year to date and trading near all-time highs. So on this new episode of the SteadyTrade Podcast, Tim Bohen and I dive into what’s driving these stocks to new highs. [Click here to read Not Your Parents' Utilities](. [mmi 10-2]( Thursday: Markets are moving at lightning speed right now. And if you’re not ready, you could find yourself in trouble – fast. That’s why my colleague Imre Gams shares various strategies to safeguard your portfolio... and help you capitalize on the opportunities that market volatility oftentimes presents. [Click here to read Buckle Up for Heightened Volatility](. Friday: Next week, Elon Musk will finally unveil Tesla’s (TSLA) highly anticipated robotaxi to the world. If all goes well, it could create a breakout opportunity in the stock. But there's another multitrillion-dollar industry that could provide even bigger opportunity in the future. [Click here to read First Come Robotaxis… Then Come Flying Cars](. Here’s to the future, [Matt McCall signature] Matt McCall Editor, Market Insights © Centurion Publishing 13809 Research Blvd, Suite 500, Austin, TX 78750 [CenturionPub.com]( *Results are not typical. Past performance does not indicate future results. All investing carries risk. Our Privacy Policy, along with our Term & Conditions, governs your use of this site. By using our site, or by accepting the Terms of Use (via opt-in, checkbox, pop-up, or clicking an email link confirming the same), you agree to be bound by our Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Policy. If you have provided personal, billing, or other voluntarily provided information, you may access, review, and make changes to it via instructions found on the Website or by replying to this email. To manage your receipt of marketing and non-transactional communications, you may unsubscribe by clicking the “unsubscribe” link located on the bottom of any marketing email. 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