Markets

A Busy Week Ahead with Fed Meeting, Labor Report, and Packed Big Tech Earnings Schedule

Published January 27, 2024

Investors are gearing up for an action-packed week, with anticipation high for a series of major earnings announcements, alongside pivotal economic events that include a Federal Reserve meeting and the release of a critical labor report.

The market is braced for a wave of high-profile earnings, resulting in a week that may overwhelm even seasoned professionals. Therefore, individuals are advised to approach their investment decisions with caution during this busy period.

Steelmakers Nucor and Cleveland-Cliffs are kicking off the week with their earnings updates, and their business's robustness is expected to potentially keep prices elevated due to their noted scarcity value.

Tuesday is set to be a bustling day with a 'corporate traffic jam' of earnings. Highlights of the day include financial results from giants like Pfizer, General Motors, Microsoft, Alphabet, Starbucks, and AMD. Notably, the market is keen on insights from Microsoft regarding the sales of its AI product, Co-pilot, while Alphabet is expected to provide updates on its cloud division's performance.

A Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday will have analysts seeking hints on future interest rate movements, particularly if inflation remains steady. Additionally, Mastercard and Boeing are scheduled to report earnings. Boeing's focus will likely be on its 737 issues, while Mastercard is anticipated to perform slightly better than its competitor Visa, though this remains conjectural until the announcement.

Thursday brings another slew of earnings with Honeywell and Merck in the morning, followed by tech heavyweights Apple, Amazon, and Meta after the market closes. Investors are particularly interested in how Meta and Amazon are managing their advertising revenue streams and in Apple's guidance on iPhone sales and its operations within the Chinese market.

Concluding the week on Friday, the earnings spotlight turns to energy sector leaders Chevron and Exxon, just as the market digests the latest employment data. The unemployment rate will be closely watched, as it might influence the Federal Reserve's decision-making regarding potential rate cuts in March.

Due to the density and potential impact of these reports, investors are recommended to meticulously plan and exercise prudence in their investment activities during this time.

Earnings, FED, LaborReport, BigTech, Investing, StockMarket