There is also a sense among
analysts that investors believe the worst may be over in terms of public
opinion, though that
remains to be seen given the outrage over the disaster caused by the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April.
US large - cap stocks returned more than 9 percent in the first half of 2017, the most since 2013, and although prices are close to all - time highs,
analysts are of the
opinion that valuations are not very expensive for a majority of these stocks, as stronger earnings upped the price - to - earnings ratio, which has generally
remained above average for quite a few years.