Key Takeaways
- Analysts from Barclays lowered their target for the S&P 500 index this year to 5,900 from 6,600 previously.
- The analysts cited the uncertainty that the Trump administration's planned tariffs are creating.
- Analysts from Goldman Sachs and RBC Capital Markets also have cut their S&P 500 growth projections in recent weeks.
Barclays analysts became the latest to cut their projection for the S&P 500 on Wednesday, citing the uncertainty around the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Trump administration's tariffs and their 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:potential impact on the U.S. economy.
The analysts now expect the index to rise to 5,900 this year, down from their previous forecast of 6,600, which would amount to growth of less than 1% from the 5,881.63 mark where it ended 2024. The S&P 500 surged just over 23% in 2024, setting a number of records along the way.
The index was down 1.2% Wednesday afternoon as 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:stocks were broadly lower.
Analysts Say 'Significant Uncertainty' on Tariffs Affecting Projections
"Given significant uncertainty around trade policy, our bull and bear case [earnings per share] estimates hinge upon the final scope and severity of tariffs," the analysts wrote.
The analysts said their new target for the stock index "assumes that earnings take a hit but valuations gradually recover as some tariffs are put in place, stifling growth and modestly boosting inflation but ultimately stopping short of pushing the US into an outright 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:recession."
They said their base case assumes "no further escalation" of tariffs with China and that the Trump administration's goals with 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:tariffs on Canada and Mexico "are primarily political"🐟 and could be rolled back in the ꦿfuture.
Looking into specific industries, the Barclays analysts upgraded their view on 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:financial stocks to positive from neutral, citing the potential for the administration's focus to shift from tariffs to deregulation. They also downgraded 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:discretionary and industrial stocks, as tariffs could hurt retail profits and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:slow consumer spending while also hurting the industrial sector via g♑𓂃overnment spending cuts.
The Barclays analysts follow others from 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Goldman Sachs and RBC Capital Markets who have lowered their estimates this month for the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:S&P 500's growth in 2025, also citing the uncertainty tariffs are creating in the econom🎐y.