S&P 500 has the potential to rise to around 5,300 this year – UBS

The S&P 500 came close to rising above 5,000 for the first time on Wednesday. Economists at UBS see the potential for further gains.

Potential for a period of continued stronger growth, tame inflation, and swifter monetary easing

Our base case remains for a soft landing for the US economy, with the S&P 500 ending the year around current levels. However, recent economic data have highlighted the potential for a period of continued stronger growth, tame inflation, and swifter monetary easing. In this event, we believe the S&P 500 has the potential to rise to around 5,300 this year. 

We believe this would be a particularly positive outcome for small-cap stocks, which benefit more from Fed easing given their greater reliance on floating-rate debt.