The ratio for consumer staples companies, such as Proctor & Gamble and Wal-Mart Stores, rose as high as 18.Those ratios compare with an average price-earnings ratio for S&P 500 companies of 15.7, which is slightly above the 10-year average for the index of 15.1.While those valuations have fallen back slightly over the past month, they are still higher than for companies that will benefit if the eco