What To Expect in the Markets This Week

Inflation data and corporate earnings highlight the weekly economic calendar for investors. Nvidia’s (NVDA) report, slated for Wednesday, is its first since China’s DeepSeek sent the tech stock reeling. Investors are also watching for updates from Salesforce (CRM), Lowe’s (LOW), Home Depot (HD), and Chrysler parent Stellantis (STLA). 

Friday’s release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index will give Federal Reserve officials more data about inflation’s path in January. Market watchers are also looking for expected updates to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), the housing market, consumer confidence, and the U.S. trade balance. 

Monday, Feb. 24

• Oneok (OKE) and Public Storage (PSA) are scheduled to report earnings

Tuesday, Feb. 25

• FHFA House Price Index (Q4 2024)
• S&P Case-Shiller home price index (December)
• Consumer Confidence (February)
• Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan and Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin are scheduled to deliver remarks
• Home Depot, Intuit (INTU), American Tower (AMT), Bank of Montreal (BMO), Workday (WDAY), Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS), Axon Enterprise (AXON), and Lucid Group (LCID) are scheduled to report earnings

Wednesday, Feb. 26

• New home sales (January)
• Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic is scheduled to deliver remarks
• Nvidia, Salesforce, Lowe’s, TJX Cos. (TJX), Anheuser-Busch Inbev (BUD), Synopsys (SNPS), Snowflake (SNOW), Stellantis, Agilent Technologies (A), Ebay (EBAY), and Paramount Global (PARA) are scheduled to report earnings

Thursday, Feb. 27

• Initial jobless claims (Week ending Feb. 22)
• Durable goods orders (January)
• Gross domestic product – second estimate (Q4)
• Pending home sales (January)
• Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker are scheduled to deliver remarks
• Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Toronto Dominion Bank (TD), Dell Technologies (DELL), Autodesk (ADSK), and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) are scheduled to report earnings

Friday, Feb. 28

• Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (January)
• Advance trade balance (January)
• Advance wholesale inventories (January)
• Advance retail inventories (January)
• Chicago business barometer (February)
• Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee scheduled to deliver remarks

PCE Inflation Report Comes as Fed Closely Watches Pricing Data

Inflation data will be in focus this week after Federal Reserve officials indicated the central bank is watching for inflation to fall before moving ahead with further interest-rate reductions.

On Friday, the scheduled release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index for January will show whether the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation continues to accelerate. PCE rose, as expected, in December and the January reading of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a separate inflation measure, also showed price pressures increasing more than expected.

Also this week, the consumer confidence survey on Tuesday will include data on public perceptions of inflation, which Fed officials watch as an important determinant of price increases.

Several central bankers are expected to deliver remarks this week, including Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan, and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker. 

Revisions to fourth-quarter GDP are scheduled for Thursday. The initial reading released last month showed the U.S. economy grew at a 2.3% annual rate, slightly lower than expectations. 

Investors will also be watching housing data this week, including pricing data on Tuesday, new home sales results on Wednesday, and pending home sales on Thursday.

An update on the U.S. international trade balance is scheduled for Friday, coming as investors are closely following tariff proposals from President Donald Trump. 

Earnings from Nvidia, Salesforce, Dell Highlight Corporate Reporting Schedule 

Nvidia’s earnings report, scheduled for Wednesday, comes as the stock faces pressure from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek, whose surprisingly efficient AI model raised questions about the spending levels needed to develop the technology. Nvidia’s profit more than doubled in the third quarter amid strong sales in its data center division. 

Salesforce is also slated to report results on Wednesday. The cloud software provider grew revenue by 8% and delivered better-than-expected earnings in the third quarter as it rolled out its autonomous AI agents.

Other tech companies on the earnings calendar this week include software firm Synopsys and cloud-based data storage company Snowflake. 

Dell Technologies’ report is scheduled for Thursday. Analysts are optimistic that the computer maker can tap into the AI boom, despite disappointing results in its most recent quarterly update. The company has been in talks on a server deal with Elon Musk’s xAI.

Hardware retailers are also on this week’s corporate calendar, with Home Depot’s report expected Tuesday. The home improvement store topped analyst estimates for revenue and earnings in the prior quarter, and raised its full-year revenue outlook.

Lowe’s report is scheduled for the following day and comes after it forecast in December a return to sales growth in 2025 while the retailer contends with a sluggish housing market that has cut into consumer spending. 

Chrysler parent Stellantis is expected to deliver earnings this week after the Jeep maker last month reported a noteworthy drop in quarterly shipments. Luxury electric vehicle maker Lucid is also scheduled to release earnings this week. 

Warner Bros. Discovery plans to release its quarterly results this week, after the entertainment giant announced plans to split its TV business from its streaming and movie studios. Paramount Global is also expected to report earnings this week. 

Several Canadian banks are scheduled to report, including Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal, and Bank of Nova Scotia.