Mixed Earnings Weigh on S&P 500; Trade Tensions Persist

Stock indexes face downward pressure due to mixed earnings reports and uncertainties involving US-China trade relations. Notable declines from Intel and T-Mobile US could affect investor sentiment.

Date: 26-04-2025

AI Rating: 5

Market Overview
As the S&P 500 Index dipped by -0.30%, investors are grappling with mixed signals from both corporate earnings and trade negotiations with China. The uncertainty from international trade and weaker corporate guidance is shaking investor confidence.

Corporate Earnings
Corporate earnings have emerged as a dominant theme, where the general consensus indicates an expected year-over-year earnings growth of only +6.7% for the S&P 500, down from prior expectations of +11.1%. Additionally, the full-year forecast for 2025 profits was revised downward to +9.4% from +12.5%. This decline could result in lowered investor expectations and increased volatility in stock prices, especially for companies currently underperforming, such as Intel and T-Mobile US.

Intel’s expectation for Q2 revenue at $11.2 billion to $12.4 billion, below the $12.88 billion consensus, highlights concerns over its growth trajectory and shone a light on its declining market position. Similarly, T-Mobile reported only 495,000 new subscribers when the market anticipated 507,000, suggesting that customer acquisition efforts might not be as fruitful as projected. This is concerning for investor confidence as both companies are major players in their respective sectors.

Impact of Tariffs
Targeted by tariffs, Eastman Chemical's forecast for Q2 adjusted EPS of $1.70-$1.90 fell short of the consensus of $2.20. This is indicative of broader implications for companies adversely affected by the trade tensions between the US and China. Such constraints may lead to tightening profit margins and market reevaluation.

Investor Sentiment
Sales of $63 billion in US equities by foreign investors since March poses substantial risks to equity valuations, particularly as these investors represented a record 18% ownership share of US equities at the beginning of 2025. Coupled with the market discounting an 8% probability of a -25 basis point rate cut, these factors lead to a cautious outlook for short-term investors.

Overall, while some companies, such as Alphabet and Charter Communications, reported positive outcomes, negative earnings news predominated in the recent reports. Investors are advised to consider these earnings results carefully as they indicate potential challenges in achieving previous growth targets.

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