Equity markets got off to strong start in 2013 after Congress managed to sign off on a last minute fiscal cliff deal cobbled together by Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Vice President Joe Biden. Euphoria quickly faded, however, with investors shifting their focus back to Washington as Congress begins new rounds of negotiations concerning the debt ceiling and several spending cut deadlines. Understandably, the rather uncertain economic environment has left many wary about the fourth quarter’s earnings season, though analysts predict that the lowered expectations found among investors leaves room for companies to post positive surprises, even if results do not meet last year’s double-digit figures. See the full story here → Related Posts: Time To Buy Oil?