Heading into earnings season, traders ought to count on delayed experiences, withdrawn forecasts and complicated outcomes from U.S. companies grappling with the coronavirus shutdown. 

There's a common consensus that firm earnings are going to be ugly, with analysts anticipating S&P 500 earnings development to say no 5.2% within the first quarter, in accordance with FactSet. This could mark the biggest year-over-year decline in earnings reported by the index because the first quarter of 2016, when it declined 6.9%. 

This reversal in earnings development projections from the beginning of the yr comes amid an unprecedented time in monetary markets, with a authorities mandated financial shutdown because of the fast-spreading coronavirus. Shares have dropped violently into bear market up to now month, as companies shut their doorways with no clear finish in sight. The Dow Jones Industrial Common and...