WallStreet Week, 2-24 through 2-28

Market Outlook for the Upcoming Week

Get ready for the grand reveal: PCE inflation data, GDP plot twists, consumer confidence crystal ball readings, and housing stat shenanigans. Plus, earnings gossip from the big names—Nvidia, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Salesforce, Stellantis, and Dell. Buckle up!

Key Takeaways

• Nvidia is gearing up to drop its earnings report on Wednesday, leaving everyone biting their nails over the future of AI investment. Will it be a jackpot or a jack-not?

• Meanwhile, investors are playing peek-a-boo with results from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Salesforce, and Stellantis, the Jeep-making wizards.

• Federal Reserve officials are on a mission to decode the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, set to hit the stage on Friday, with inflation progress stuck in a traffic jam.

• This week’s lineup also includes updates on the housing market, consumer confidence, the trade balance, and gross domestic product—because who doesn’t love a good plot twist?

Hold onto your hats, folks, because this week’s economic calendar is packed tighter than a clown car at a circus! Inflation data and corporate earnings are the stars of the show for investors. Nvidia (NVDA) is set to steal the spotlight on Wednesday with its first report since China's DeepSeek gave the tech stock a wedgie. Investors are also eagerly awaiting updates from Salesforce (CRM), Lowe’s (LOW), Home Depot (HD), and Stellantis, the proud parent of Chrysler (STLA).

Come Friday, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index will drop like a surprise piñata at a birthday party, giving Federal Reserve officials a peek into January’s inflation fiesta. Market analysts are also biting their nails waiting for updates on the U.S. GDP, housing market, consumer confidence, and the U.S. trade balance.

Monday, Feb. 24

• Oneok (OKE) and Public Storage (PSA) are ready to spill the beans on their earnings.

Tuesday, Feb. 25

• FHFA House Price Index (Q4 2024) is on the menu.

• S&P Case-Shiller home price index (December) will make its grand entrance.

• Consumer Confidence (February) is set to strut its stuff.

• Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan and Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin are expected to share their pearls of wisdom.

• 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 all set to spill the tea on their earnings.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

• New home sales (January) are ready to dazzle.

• Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will be dropping some knowledge.

• 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 all set to reveal their earnings secrets.

Thursday, Feb. 27

• Initial jobless claims (Week ending Feb. 22) will be the talk of the town.

• Durable goods orders (January) are ready for their close-up.

• Gross domestic product - second estimate (Q4) will make its encore performance.

• Pending home sales (January) will take the stage.

• Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker are expected to share their two cents.

• Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Toronto Dominion Bank (TD), Dell Technologies (DELL), Autodesk (ADSK), and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) are all ready to drop their earnings bombshells.

Friday, Feb. 28

• Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (January) will be the main event.

• Advance trade balance (January) will join the party.

• Advance wholesale inventories (January) will make an appearance.

• Advance retail inventories (January) will also be there.

• Chicago business barometer (February) will be on display.

• Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will be dropping some truth bombs.

PCE Inflation Report Comes as Fed Closely Watches Pricing Data

This week’s main attraction is inflation data, as Federal Reserve officials have hinted they’re keeping an eagle eye on inflation before they decide to twist the interest-rate knobs. On Friday, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index for January will reveal if the Fed’s favorite inflation metric is still on the rise. The PCE did a little jig in December, and the January Consumer Price Index (CPI) also showed prices doing the cha-cha.

This week, the consumer confidence survey on Tuesday will give us a glimpse into what the public thinks about inflation, which Fed officials see as a key ingredient in the price stew.

A parade of central bankers will be making speeches 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 set for Thursday. The first reading last month showed the U.S. economy doing a 2.3% annual growth dance, which was a bit of a letdown.

Investors will also have their eyes on housing data this week, with 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, just as investors are keeping tabs on President Donald Trump’s tariff teasers.

Earnings from Nvidia, Salesforce, Dell Highlight Corporate Reporting Schedule

Nvidia’s earnings report, set for Wednesday, comes as the stock feels the squeeze from Chinese AI upstart DeepSeek, whose efficient AI model has everyone questioning the tech investment piggy bank. Nvidia's profits did a double backflip in the third quarter thanks to its data center division’s strong sales.

Salesforce is also ready to spill the beans on Wednesday. The cloud software provider boosted revenue by 8% and delivered earnings that were better than a surprise party in the third quarter, thanks to its new autonomous AI agents.

Other tech stars on this week’s earnings stage include software company Synopsys and cloud-based data storage company Snowflake.

Dell Technologies’ report is on the docket for Thursday. Analysts are crossing their fingers that the computer maker can ride the AI wave, despite recent hiccups. The company is in talks for a server shindig with Elon Musk's xAI.

Hardware retailers are also making an appearance, with Home Depot’s report expected on Tuesday. The home improvement giant outdid analyst predictions last quarter and raised its full-year revenue forecast.

Lowe’s is set to report the next day, after predicting a comeback in sales growth in 2025 despite the housing market’s attempts to play hardball.

Chrysler’s parent Stellantis is set to reveal its earnings after the Jeep maker reported a big dip in quarterly shipments last month. Luxury EV maker Lucid is also on the earnings schedule this week.

Warner Bros. Discovery is ready to dish out its quarterly results, following its announcement of plans to split its TV business from its streaming and movie studios. Paramount Global is also expected to reveal its earnings this week.

Several Canadian banks are set to report, including Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal, and Bank of Nova Scotia.1