This analysis was written from a neutral perspective. We advise you to always make careful and well-informed investment decisions.
43
0
0
Fact
Barclays: S&P 500 target cut from 6,600 → 5,900
Goldman Sachs: target cut from 6,500 → 6,200
RBC Capital Markets: target cut from 6,600 → 6,200
Bull case: 6,700 (25% probability)
Bear case: 4,400 (15% probability)
Opinion
Barclays, Goldman Sachs, and RBC all expect tariffs to weigh on corporate earnings and economic momentum, driving a more cautious market outlook.
Core Sell Point
A wave of target downgrades by leading financial institutions reflects both limited upside and rising downside risks in U.S. equities amid prolonged policy uncertainty.
Amid persisting uncertainty over the Trump administration’s tariff policy, major Wall Street institutions are collectively lowering their year-end forecasts for the U.S. stock market.
Barclays cut its S&P 500 year-end target significantly from 6,600 to 5,900, implying the index may not rise much beyond last year’s closing level of 5,881.63. Barclays’ base-case scenario assumes “no recession, but earnings hit by tariffs,” assigning a 60% probability to this outlook. In this scenario, high tariffs on China would remain in place without further escalation, while a 5% reciprocal tariff would be applied to other countries.
Goldman Sachs also trimmed its target from 6,500 to 6,200, citing concerns over slower economic growth and weaker corporate earnings due to rising tariffs. RBC Capital Markets followed suit, lowering its target from 6,600 to 6,200, signaling a broader shift toward caution across Wall Street.
While a bullish case sees the index reaching 6,700, the likelihood is low at just 25%, given limited prospects for tariff rollbacks. On the downside, a worsening tariff shock could drag the index down to 4,400, reflecting growing anxiety over prolonged policy uncertainty and its impact on investor sentiment.
[Compliance Note]
All posts by Sellsmart are for informational purposes only. Final investment decisions should be made with careful judgment and at the investor’s own risk.
The content of this post may be inaccurate, and any profits or losses resulting from trades are solely the responsibility of the investor.
Core16 may hold positions in the stocks mentioned in this post and may buy or sell them at any time.