Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on Jan. 21, 2025.
NYSE
Stock futures traded lower on Sunday night as investors look ahead to a major earnings week.
Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 67 points, or 0.2%. S&P futures shed 0.5%, while Nasdaq 100 futures slid 263 points, or 1.2%.
This week is a big one for traders who hope for more clarity on the state of the bull market, as four out of seven companies in the ‘Magnificent 7’ are set to post quarterly earnings in the coming days. Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Tesla each report on Wednesday, and Apple will release results on Thursday.
Investors will use the upcoming Big Tech reports to gauge just how long artificial intelligence-powered market gains can continue. Positive results could reignite confidence, while any disappointment could hurt the broader market, roughly 40% of which is accounted for by the Mag 7.
“I think the story is still here” in tech, Ken Mahoney, CEO of Mahoney Asset Management, previously told CNBC. “Investors are attracted to earnings growth. Yes, they’re paying more valuation, but are still attracted to these great growth stories.”
Outside of tech, investors can expect earnings from companies including Starbucks, Boeing, General Motors, Visa and Exxon in the upcoming week.
Earnings season has been strong so far. Of the 16% of S&P 500 companies having reported fourth-quarter results, 80% have posted a positive earnings per share surprise and 62% have reported a positive revenue surprise, according to FactSet data published Friday.
Looking ahead, the Federal Reserve will also hold its January meeting on Wednesday, and key inflation data from the personal consumption expenditures price index — the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge — will be out Friday. Fed funds futures are pricing in a more than 99% chance that the central bank leaves interest rates unchanged, according to CMEGroup’s FedWatch Tool.
All three major U.S. indexes recorded their second-straight positive week last week, reassuring investors that the bull market remains intact even after December’s dip. The S&P 500 hit a new intraday record on Friday after notching a fresh all-time closing high in the previous session.
