S&P 500 Index to peak in 2019 – BofA Merrill Lynch

According to analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, US earnings growth is likely to slow in 2019, even though the near-term outlook remains somewhat positive.

Key Quotes

“The Standard and Poor’s 500 Index is expected to peak at or slightly above 3,000 before settling in at a year-end target of 2,900. We forecast earnings per share (EPS) growth of 5 percent, which would put the S&P 500 EPS at a record high of $170 next year.”

“Our U.S. equity strategists are overweight health care, technology, utilities, financials and industrials, and underweight consumer discretionary, communication services and real estate.”