What to Fear With Earnings Season in Full Gear

There is a lot to gain (and lose) this week in the market (QQQ)(SPY)(DIA) with a tsunami of earnings and economic readings with the emphasis on retail, manufacturing, and housing. Before we talk about the earnings, lets set the backdrop. Right now are on the cusp of global quantitative tightening, actual interest rates rising, multi-year high oil prices, an aging (and somewhat sagging) 9 year bull market, and a potential trade war. Traders and investors have a lot to consider before earnings are even released. But the good news is the market can ignore all of that if a company knocks it out of the park. But there are some rather large risks looming in individual stocks as well. Obviously a weak earnings report and outlook is the biggest risk for a stock. But here are some very specific risks to stocks this earnings season.