Economy Slowing Down? CEOs Say ’Not on Our Watch’ in 2025
CEOs defy recession fears—bullish sentiment surges despite market jitters.
Corporate leaders dismiss slowdown rumors, doubling down on aggressive growth targets. 'The data doesn't match the doomscrolling,' quips one Fortune 500 exec while approving another stock buyback.
Key sectors show unexpected resilience:
- Tech giants report record cloud revenue
- Industrial orders beat expectations
- Consumer spending holds steady
Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts still can't decide if we're in a 'rolling recession' or 'everything bubble'—but at least their consulting fees are recession-proof.
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“The tone on outlook has improved, with most firms expecting further margin expansion and capital returns,” said Barclays strategists.
Elevated Earnings and Valuations
Wall Street had expected the S&P 500’s (SPX) earnings to grow by 7.4% this quarter, although the benchmark index is on track to nearly double that with 14.5% growth. Of the companies that have reported earnings, 81% have beaten estimates.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 is trading at an elevated forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 23x, well above its 15-year average of 17x and approaching the 30-year peak of 24.4x set before the dot-com bubble.
