3rd-Quarter Earnings Season: What To Watch For

Throughout the summer, investors were treated to a steady drumbeat of sobering news.

Retail sales were flattening out. China and other emerging markets appeared set to consume less of our exports. The steady implementation of the budget sequester was leading to a drop in government spending on technology and services. And many companies showed a lot more interest in buybacks and dividends than capital spending, which is a sure a sign of CEO pessimism.

So how do you explain the surprisingly robust profit picture being delivered in the current earnings season? Continue reading "3rd-Quarter Earnings Season: What To Watch For"