Market Outlook for the Week: Retail Sales Data; Earnings Reports from Deere, Dell, and Alibaba; and Thanksgiving Observance

Shoppers enjoy a festive day out, strolling down a decorated street carrying shopping bags from Nordstrom, Macy's, and other stores.

This trading week is—Hooray—shorter than usual, but there's still plenty of excitement ahead! With stock and bond markets taking a break on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday, the week promises a flurry of economic releases and thrilling earnings reports from big names like John Deere, Alibaba, Applied Digital, and Dell Technologies.

The eagerly awaited September report on U.S. retail sales, postponed due to the government shutdown, will debut just in time for Black Friday. This day is one of the most exhilarating shopping days of the year! We are also on track for weekly jobless claims, pending home sales, durable-goods orders, and the latest consumer confidence survey. Some data originally set for this week will be rescheduled as government agencies catch up on delayed reports from the shutdown.

In addition to Thursday's break, stock markets will wrap up early at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, while bond markets will close at 2 p.m. ET. Be sure to read to the bottom for our calendar of key events—and a little extra surprise!

John Deere, Dell, Alibaba Shine in Shortened Earnings Week

Monday kicks off with thrilling updates from laboratory equipment maker Agilent, video call innovator Zoom, and Symbotic, a Walmart partner specializing in AI-powered warehouse automation.

Tuesday is action-packed: Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba, chipmaker Applied Digital, design software leader Autodesk, data storage giant NetApp, and cybersecurity expert Zscaler are all set to unveil their earnings. Workday will share its quarterly earnings for the first time since activist investment group Elliott Investment Management revealed its stake in the company.

Tech titans Dell Technologies and HP will report on Tuesday after analysts downgraded their outlook due to rising component costs. John Deere’s Wednesday report will offer valuable insights into the health of the construction and agriculture industries.

Retail Sales Ready to Thrill Ahead of Black Friday

Delayed retail-sales results for September, arriving Tuesday, will reveal if shoppers maintained their momentum leading into the shutdown as they gear up for Black Friday and the festive season. Market enthusiasts will also get a glimpse of inflation trends with the release of the wholesale-focused Producer Price Index for September.

Exciting updates are on the horizon as private-sector groups release reports on pending home sales and consumer confidence for November! Plus, keep an eye out for the weekly jobless claims coming this Wednesday, especially after last week’s employment report showed hiring surged.

This week’s calendar is packed with several reports, although some will be rescheduled. Look forward to the first reading of the third-quarter gross domestic product, the October PCE Price Index, and the advanced reports on October trade balance, retail inventories, and wholesale inventories. The delay adds a twist for Federal Reserve officials as they prepare to announce their next interest rate decision on Dec. 10.

Key Economic Indicators to Watch

Understanding economic indicators is crucial for making informed investment decisions. Here are some key indicators to keep an eye on this week:

1. Retail Sales Data

The retail sales data will provide insights into consumer spending trends. This information is vital for assessing the overall health of the economy.

2. Jobless Claims

Weekly jobless claims will shed light on the labor market. A decrease in claims typically indicates a strengthening job market.

3. Producer Price Index (PPI)

The PPI measures inflation at the wholesale level. An increase in the PPI can signal rising costs for consumers in the future.

This Week’s Calendar

Monday, Nov. 24

• Get ready for exciting key earnings reports from Agilent (A), Symbotic (SYM), Keysight Technology (KEYS), and Zoom Communications (ZM)!
  
  

Tuesday, Nov. 25

• Don’t miss the U.S. retail sales data for September!
• Keep an eye on these thrilling data points: Producer Price Index (September), Business inventories (August), S&P Case-Shiller home price index (September), Consumer confidence (November), and Pending home sales (October).
• Key Earnings Bonanza: Alibaba (BABA), Analog Devices (ADI), Dell Technologies (DELL), Autodesk (ADSK), Workday (WDAY), Zscaler (ZS), NetApp (NTAP), HP (HPQ), and NIO (NIO)!
  
  

Wednesday, Nov. 26

• Stay tuned for the initial jobless claims for the week ending Nov. 22!
• Watch out for these important updates: Federal Reserve Beige Book, Durable-goods orders (September), and Chicago Business Barometer PMI (November)!
• Exciting Key Earnings: Deere & Co. (DE) and Li Auto (LI)! Plus, Li Auto will report their third quarter 2025 financial results on this day!
  
  

Thursday, Nov. 27

• Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday!
  
  

Friday, Nov. 28

• Note the early closure: Stock markets close at 1 p.m. ET; Bond markets close at 2 p.m. ET.
• Get ready for the Black Friday holiday shopping extravaganza!
  
  

Best Regards,

Stock Market Charlie