Regular Earnings Grew 2.2% in Q1

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Q1 '15 Earnings Growth: 2.2%

Average Prediction: 1.5%

Number of Correct Forecasts: 4/462

Weakest Yen to Dollar Rate: 121 (5th Jan)

Competition Progress: 44.4% complete

Average regular earnings continued to grow much faster than expected in the first quarter of the year, as nominal growth was 2.2% (compared to 1.7% in the last quarter of last year).  This was the fastest 3 month rate since June 2011.

This level of growth was totally unexpected by our competitors, with only 4 people correctly predicting a rate of 2.2% (and only 30 thinking it would be higher than 2%).  In contrast, the average expected growth rate was just 1.5%.

All three of our Titans predicted a higher rate of growth than the average, but it was Michael McMahon who was once again closest to the outcome, with a predicted rate of 1.8%.  At the time, Michael warned that he thought he might be being too pessimistic, but 1.8% was considered strong growth at the time and he was wary of forecasting anything much higher.  As it turned out, he was right - he was being too pessimistic.

Earnings growth can be variable, however - will it continue to grow at this pace as the year goes on, or will it start to slow back down again?

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