U.S. stocks "stall" in profits! Over 60% of S&P components sound the alarm on performance.

The latest analysis shows that the profit prospects of large US companies in the first quarter may be overshadowed. A report released by FactSet on Monday pointed out that out of the 107 S&P 500 component companies that have issued first-quarter earnings guidance, 68 have given negative guidance (FactSet defines negative guidance as when the company's forecast value or midpoint of the forecast range is lower than the market consensus expectation before the release). FactSet stated that this number is significantly higher than the average level of the past five and ten years. At the same time, according to FactSet data, the number of companies issuing optimistic earnings guidance is below historical averages. Currently, investors are closely monitoring the operational performance of large companies to assess the future trend of the US stock market. Goldman Sachs analysts recently raised expectations for the probability of an economic recession, citing continued shrinking corporate confidence and slowing economic growth as the main reasons. FactSet data shows that overall earnings for the S&P 500 index components in the fourth quarter of last year increased by approximately 18%, with more than three-quarters of companies exceeding expectations, in line with the average level of the past five years. The S&P 500 index closed slightly higher on Monday, but had accumulated a nearly 6% decline by the end of March, marking the worst single-month performance since 2022.