The Odd Season: Good Earnings, Nervous CEOs

The fourth quarter earnings cavalcade has arrived, with major companies like Google, IBM and Texas Instruments exceeding Wall Street’s expectations. Still, many corporations are tempering their earnings outlooks with more than a dollop of caution. CNBC reports that the pessimism underscores how, after four years of dark clouds stemming from the global financial pandemic, many executives are having a hard time buying into the idea of bluer skies.