Par Daniel Van Hove, CFA, Managing Director Bellatrix Asset Management S.A.
EQUITIES
U.S. equities, measured by the SP500 index, have gained 5.1% this year 2011 through 5 March, essentially due to the investors confidence in the gradual impact of government stimulus measures, improving economic data and higher-than-estimated corporate earnings. Q4-10 earnings per share topped estimates at 71% of the 470 companies in the SP500 index that have reported results since 10 January, as indicated in a recent comment available on Bloomberg News and according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Volatility has of course suddenly increased with the recent geo-political tensions in the Maghreb region and the concomitant rise in oil prices to...
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