Despite China, Standard & Poor’s 500 faces perfect season

One of the best ways for investors to have made money in US stocks last year was to acquire them just before earnings season began.

Bulls need that trade to work now more than any time in the past few years.

With everything from China to the Federal Reserve and oil working against them, investors have had little reason to buy in 2016 — and the result has been the worst five-day start to any year.