The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that inflation has backed off from its highs, the economic outlook has picked up and U.S. stocks have rallied toward fresh records, bringing Canadian stocks with them. The Globe's David Berman writes that at least one thing stands in the way of a truly upbeat backdrop for investors: strong corporate earnings. Over the next couple of weeks, investors will get a look at results from Microsoft, Netflix and Tesla. Their performance will add to our understanding of how big players are navigating an economy that seemed destined to slip into recession until a few months ago. Aritzia surprised the market this week with pleasing quarterly results. Though the retailer said that its profit slumped 39 per cent from last year, the adjusted per-share profit figure used by analysts easily topped estimates amid better-than-expected margins and rising revenue. Aritzia's shares jumped 21 per cent Thursday, to $32.01 in Toronto, marking its highest level since July and offering a convincing recovery from the stock's lows in November. Investors cannot extrapolate a trend from this one company, but it highlights what can go right when financial results exceed low expectations.