First Week of Earnings Usually Best for Stocks
By: Robert Hum
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NYSE Traders
It’s the first of three heavy weeks of earnings. As investors gear up for Earnings Central, here’s a quick look at how the stock market has fared in recent quarters.
Over the past two years (eight quarters), the S&P 500 has posted a gain during the heart of earnings season in six of the past eight quarters.
On average during the past two years, the S&P has gained almost 1 percent over the three-week peak earnings period.
The best of the three weeks has typically been the first week (the week we’re currently in now). In fact, the S&P 500 has risen during the first of the three heavy earnings weeks in seven of the past eight quarters.
That performance, however, appears to deteriorate as earnings season progresses.
During the past two years, the S&P has gained an average of almost 1 percent over the three-week peak earnings period.
