Economists expect the largest reduction in profits of companies S & P 500 for 3 years - according to their forecasts, it will be 7% lower in the first quarter compared with the same period last year. This was reported by experts from FactSet on the basis of the results of a study they conducted among 106 companies included in the index, reports investing.com referring to Business Insider. This week begins the reporting season in the U.S., which, as usual, will be opened by financial corporations.

A decline in quarterly earnings is expected in almost all 11 sectors of the index, including banking, technology and retail, FactSet specifies. Six sectors - primarily manufacturing, IT, telecom and health care - will show year-over-year profit declines.

In 2020, during the pandemic crisis, U.S. businesses showed a 32% drop in profits in the second quarter.