Market Commentary: Q2 reporting season is doing well but annual growth has peaked

En bref

As the reporting season is close to 50%, positive surprises are appreciable. Indeed, expectations on quarterly growth were flat providing good positive revisions, given the upgrade of the economy in the last three months.

Highlights:

  • As the reporting season is close to 50%, positive surprises are appreciable. Indeed, expectations on quarterly growth were flat providing good positive revisions, given the upgrade of the economy in the last three months.
  • Margins are on the rise as capacity utilization is increasing and unit labour costs are still under control.
  • Such positive revisions ultimately increase the fair value of equities more rapidly than expected, with additional support coming from lingering low yields. We see total returns of 6% in 12 months for EMU and 4% for the US.
  • That said, Q2 will represent the peak of the yearly earnings growth in this cycle. This is due to a less positive base effect in the quarters ahead, toppish economic acceleration and confidence indicators in addition to the peak in policy support.
  • For this reason, we maintain a prudent OW in equities, with only a slight OW of EMU vs US and a more defensive sector allocation within Europe.

Download the full publication below

Market Commentary: Q2 reporting season is doing well but annual growth has peaked
Picture

© Generali Investments, tous droits réservés. Ce site web est géré par Generali Investments Holding S.p.A. en tant que société holding des sociétés de gestion d'actifs du Groupe Generali ayant, directement ou indirectement, une participation majoritaire dans les sociétés énumérées ci-dessous (ci-après dénommées conjointement "Generali Investments"). Ce site web peut contenir des informations relatives à l'activité des sociétés suivantes : Generali Asset Management S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Infranity, Sycomore Asset Management, Aperture Investors LLC (y compris Aperture Investors UK Ltd), Plenisfer Investments S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Lumyna Investments Limited, Sosteneo S. p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Generali Real Estate S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Conning* et ses filiales Global Evolution Asset Management A/S - y compris Global Evolution USA, LLC et Global Evolution Fund Management Singapore Pte. Ltd - Octagon Credit Investors, LLC, Pearlmark Real Estate, LLC ainsi que Generali Investments CEE. *Englobe Conning, Inc, Conning Asset Management Limited, Conning Asia Pacific Limited, Conning Investment Products, Inc, Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc (désignés comme "Conning").