Speaking recently on Bloomberg, Emily Roland of John Hancock Investment Management said we’ve all been witnessing “the biggest catchup in history between soft data and hard data” as business sentiment has soared in the wake of November’s election. That pop in optimism has come even though uncertainty has persisted: Hard data points such as bond yields and firms’ hiring pace suggest some investors and executives alike are leaning more toward caution than action for the moment.
All eyes remain on policy and the passage of time since November’s election hasn’t delivered much in the way of clarity (the oil patch appearing to be an exception). So how quickly might leaders commit to new growth investments? It’s a question underpinning the latest Market Moves Strategy and one many executives are having to answer these days during another busy earnings season.
