HSBC raises S&P 500 year-end target on earnings strength, modest tariff impact

(Reuters) -HSBC raised its year-end forecast for the S&P 500 index to 6,500 from 6,400 on Wednesday, marking its second upgrade in less than a month, on the back of stronger-than-expected second-quarter corporate earnings and a 'modest' impact from tariffs.

HSBC's new target represents a 1.3% upside to the benchmark index's last close of 6,415.54.

"Earnings momentum is strong, especially among technology and financials, while company commentary suggests a modest tariff impact," Nicole Inui, head of equity strategy for the Americas at HSBC, wrote in a note.

Global brokerages including J.P.Morgan and Morgan Stanley have also forecast the index target to hit 6,500 by year-end.

Of the 489 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported second-quarter results through Friday, 79.6% beat analysts' earnings estimates, according to data compiled by LSEG. That is higher than the prior four-quarter average of 76.4% and well above the long-term average of 67%.

Investors have bet heavily on Big Tech companies' billion-dollar AI spending spree, with the index notching fresh highs last week as Nvidia's earnings confirmed spending related to AI infrastructure remains strong.

HSBC maintained a bull-case scenario of 7,000 and a bear-case of 5,700 for the index, if tariffs weigh more heavily on margins.

"We expect a Fed cut in September, but see a shallower easing cycle versus what the market is pricing in," HSBC added.

(Reporting by Rashika Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Krishna Chandra Eluri)

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