S&P 500 Profits Are Booming. That May Not Be Enough.

Big profits are coming for the S&P 500, a major U.S. stock index. But strong earnings alone may not be enough to keep the market rising. Investors already expect companies to report good results. When expectations are high, even strong numbers can fail to push prices higher. The market needs more than profit growth to continue its rally. It needs surprises that beat what investors already predict.