Strong dollar could trigger ’earnings recession’

The surging value of the US dollar may be posing the biggest threat to corporate earnings since the 2008 financial crisis, impacting results at most US-based multinationals. Some on Wall St are even talking about an earnings recession.

The dollar’s gain of 22% in the past 12 months against a basket of major currencies has landed a double whammy on US companies with big sales abroad.

Revenue and earnings from foreign markets are worth less when translated into greenbacks and their costs become relatively less competitive against rivals producing in countries with declining currencies.