Top 5 things to watch in markets in the week ahead
Investing.com — Inflation will be in the spotlight; earnings season is winding down and oil prices look set to remain volatile. Here’s what you need to know to start your week.
The inflation outlook is set to return to the fore this week with the release of January's personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price data on Thursday.
Recent economic data releases, including reports on as consumer prices, producer prices and employment have indicated that the U.S. economy remains robust despite a prolonged period of elevated interest rates.
That has prompted investors to push back bets on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve to later in the year.
Economists are expecting a 0.3% increase for January after 0.2% in the previous month. A stickier-than-expected reading could prompt the Fed to delay rate cuts further.
The economic calendar also features data on durable goods orders, the ISM manufacturing PMI, readings on new and pending home sales along with reports on consumer confidence from the Conference Board and the University of Michigan.
Earnings season is winding down, but a number of big retailers are due to report earnings in the coming week, giving investors an important insight into the health of consumer spending.
Results from Lowe's (NYSE:LOW), Macy’s Inc (NYSE:M) TJX (NYSE:TJX) and Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) are due as markets are shifting focus away from earnings back to the monetary policy outlook.
Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Cresset Capital, is among the investors who see benefits if the economy continues walking a fine line to a so-called “soft landing,” in which the Fed is able to cool inflation without upending growth.
«If we can get slowing growth, slowing inflation, create an environment that the Fed can
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