corporate earnings

The S&P 500 is precariously close its 52-week low. If it breaks below that number, how much further might it fall? Recent history suggests the possibility of a long drop.

S&P 500 companies have nearly completed the second-quarters earnings season, and overall, investors don't have much to complain about: More than 70% of companies have beaten earnings estimates, the index's earnings have risen more than 19% from last year, and nine of 10 sectors have given us a positive earnings surprise.

Given the market's extreme and distressing gyrations over the past week, you'd be forgiven for thinking corporate earnings had been, on the whole, disappointing. But that's not actually the case: A large majority of public companies have performed quite well.

After the losses of the past week, it seems hard to imagine that the S&P 500 has much further to decline. But the index took a fall to near 1,000 as recently as last July, and the issues that punished the markets then are looming over the economy again -- or perhaps, still.

Despite all the headwinds blowing against it -- and they're fierce -- the U.S. dollar has been holding its own against the world's major currencies. And if the U.S. recovery remains on track, the greenback has good odds of actually strengthening in 2011.

Interest rates are the price of money, and though that price is near zero right now, the cost of low interest rates to our nation may be too high. Low rates are squeezing savers, seniors, banks and pension funds, and the benefits we're supposed to see from them don't appear to have arrived.

The far-sighted ones are looking beyond the election and Fed and seeing a robust global manufacturing rebound and impressive corporate earnings. These strong fundamentals are finally overcoming risk aversion -- and could set the stage for an equity rally.

If you're wondering how corporations can be enjoying a sharp rebound in profits even as the U.S. economic recovery remains so weak, David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff has your answer: They won't be enjoying it for much longer.

Food and beverage company Sara Lee reported a $187 million profit in its recent quarter, driven by improved operating income across all areas of business. Its adjusted earnings of 19 cents per share topped estimates by 3 cents.

The Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book data confirms what other recent economic reports have suggested: The U.S. economic recovery slowed somewhat in the second quarter, with some regions reporting stalled conditions.