investment pro wayne kaufman says central banks have helped underpin stocks but, he adds, investors won't ignore weakening profits forever. >> i think they will give a pass this quarter, unless they are extremely bad and the guidance is really dire. the market is only going to give a pass on earnings for so long because, at the end, you do have to have good valuations. >> reporter: the market may also be staying strong because the outlook for fourth-quarter profits is brighter. even though the number has recently slipped, analysts believe s&p 500 earnings will grow a respectable 10% in the quarter that begins next week. still, not everyone thinks it's an achievable goal. >> i really expect that number will come back a bit once more companies report for the third quarter. i really do think analysts will start to revise fourth-quarter estimates down quite a bit. >> reporter: as for corporate profits next year, analysts are pretty optimistic, predicting on average an increase of 12% for the s&p 500. will it hold? that depends on the global economy. suzanne pratt, nbr, new york. >> tom: still