{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Beyond Markets","title":"The Week in Markets: Amazing second quarter results","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/d2389730\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":896,"description":"The S&P 500 index made new highs last week, and results​ from the Q2 US earnings season have been amazing. With 90% of companies having reported, the blended earnings growth (actuals for reported and estimates for companies yet to report) is 11.8%, versus the consensus of 4.9% y/y earnings growth estimated in June. Yet strangely, the percentage of S&P 500 stocks trading above their 50-day averages has fallen from 80% in early July to 56%. That means a smaller number of stocks are taking the index up today than was the case then. ​We should never take averages​ as guaranteed outcomes for future performance. But for what it’s worth, August has historically been a “neutral” month on average, with a return since 1950 of zero. And September is the only month since 1950 with a negative average return.","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/11BnEfZU7rka4GVHoUpqhWArVzb8RoTTrwhLaXT0-wM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE5NzI2LzE2MTY1/NzYyNDItYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}