Amid Market Hurdles, AI Remains an Earnings Tailwind

Despite worries over the Iran war, inflation, a hawkish Fed and soaring bond yields, the S&P 500 is up nearly 12% this year as of Sept. 19. FactSet's John Butters notes third-quarter earnings are projected to grow 28.7%, the third straight quarter of at least 25% growth, with AI seen as a key tailwind.

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