Bracing for the worst from U.S. earnings in a pandemic

Investors are desperate for
clarity on U.S. corporate profits as the coronavirus pandemic
has forced them to lower expectations ahead of the first-quarter
reporting period starting in mid-April.
U.S. companies increasingly are withdrawing guidance while
warning of the outbreak’s steep toll on operations.
Twitter Inc last week pulled its first-quarter
revenue outlook and forecast an operating loss, while Marriott
In