Investing.com -- Yardeni Research believes upcoming market scares could offer attractive buying opportunities, though it remains cautious because of valuation concerns rather than economic growth or corporate earnings.
On Sept. 15, Yardeni pushed its 8,400 S&P 500 target out to mid-2027 and set a new year-end target of 7,900. It also lowered its year-end forward P/E forecast to 18.6 from 19.8, while keeping its 2027 earnings forecast of $425 per share.
"Since we continue to see strong fundamental underpinnings supporting the stock market, any coming scares could present buying opportunities rather than reason to lighten stock positions," wrote Ed Yardeni, the firm's President and Chief Investment Strategist.
Yardeni highlighted four potential sources of surprises. The first is geopolitics, with the risk of further escalation in the Middle East remaining high, particularly after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
"The good news is that geopolitical crises historically have created buying opportunities unless they cause recessions," he said.
The second is the Fed. Yardeni believes markets are underpricing the risk of a 25 basis point hike at this week's meeting, or a 50 basis point hike in December. Any resulting selloff could offer another buying opportunity, it said.
The third is the midterms. Betting markets increasingly expect a Democratic sweep of Congress, which Yardeni suspects equity investors may not have fully discounted. It flagged potential scrutiny of data centers and another debt-ceiling standoff in 2027.
The fourth is AI, which faces financial, physical and political constraints. Yardeni said these constraints are healthy for the boom's durability. It noted that Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and Oracle are projected to spend nearly $780 billion in 2026 and more than $1 trillion annually from 2027 through 2030.
"Further AI jitters therefore could set up buying opportunities rather than signal the end of the boom," Yardeni added.
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