US companies have smashed profit forecasts by a record 17% this quarter — and BofA says next quarter could also be surprisingly strong

· *With 90% of second quarter earnings reported, results were much better than feared.*
· *So much better in fact, that second quarter earnings per share beat analyst estimates by 17%, representing the biggest beat since 2000, according to Bank of America.*
· *The earnings beat was primarily driven by healthcare and large...