New York CNN —Corporate guidance statements will be front and center as earnings season kicks off, with investors trying to gauge the economy’s temperature.
Analysts forecast that first-quarter earnings for companies in the S&P 500 will fall 6.8% from the same period the previous year, according to FactSet.
“We all expect earnings to be less than stellar,” says Shana Sissel, chief executive officer at Banríon Capital Management.
Earnings season for banks starts on Friday with JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, BlackRock, Citigroup and PNC Financial Services slated to report before the bell.
Still, earnings are just one factor driving markets, and inflation remains a key concern for the Fed.