My post on the inherent bias towards bullishness among Wall Street’s analyst community prompted an interesting response from Ian Harnett at Absolute Strategy Research.
He agrees in principle that sell-side analysts and strategists tend to be pro-cyclical, raising predictions as the market rises (his London research house is on the sell-side too, it’s worth noting).
But he argues that when analysts refuse to raise their forecasts in line with rising markets, that is a good sign for investors – and that this is exactly what’s happening now. When it happened in 2005-6, the market soared even as analysts became more cautious.
Source: Absolute Strategy Research
James Mackintosh is the Financial Times' Investment Editor, writing and presenting the daily Short View column and video. In 16 years at the FT his posts have included comment editor, motor industry editor and hedge funds correspondent, as well as spells in the Parliamentary lobby and Paris. He was the first reporter hired for FT.com, joining two weeks before it launched.
John Authers is the Financial Times' Senior Investment Columnist, writing the Saturday Long View and a regular Monday column. In a 22-year career at the FT, his previous posts have included global head of the Lex column, investment editor, US markets editor, Mexico City bureau chief and US banking correspondent. His latest book is The Fearful Rise of Markets. 