Profits from Nvidia, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and more

Earnings from artificial intelligence giant Nvidia and retail leaders Walmart, Target and Home Depot highlight this week’s calendar. Investors will also be watching the effects of the government reopening after a 43-day shutdown, the longest in US history.

The end of the lockdown is likely to mean the resumption of government economic reports, which were suspended due to furloughed workers needed to collect the data. The reports are crucial for investors and officials, who use the data to assess the direction of the economy.

While it is unclear whether government agencies will return to their normal data-issuing schedule this week, only a small number of reports may be affected by the shutdown.

Read down to the bottom for our calendar of key events – and something else.

Nvidia, the retail giant’s earnings are due

All eyes — or at least all investors’ eyes — will be on Nvidia this week as the world’s most valuable company reports its quarterly earnings on Wednesday. Artificial intelligence trading has led to recent market volatility due to concerns about the valuations of companies in the sector. Nvidia posted earnings that narrowly beat expectations in its latest report as the chipmaker reassured investors that demand for artificial intelligence technology remains strong.

Reports from major retailers are on the schedule, led by Walmart’s on Thursday — just days after it was announced that John Furner would take over as CEO on February 1, replacing Doug McMillon. The share price of the world’s largest retailer reached an all-time high in October.

Other major retailers reporting this week include Target, which announced a change in leadership when it posted its latest quarterly earnings. Home Depot’s report on Tuesday comes as the appliance giant raised its forecast for higher demand for home improvement projects. Rival Lowe’s is scheduled to announce its quarterly earnings on Wednesday. Discount retailers TJX Cos., the parent company of TJ Maxx, and Ross Stores are also on this week’s calendar.

Housing data, consumer sentiment at hand

While it is unclear when government economic data will resume, investors still have several noteworthy reports to monitor.

Many of them relate to the housing market. Wednesday’s October existing home sales data comes amid a freeze in the housing market that has kept sales near decades-low levels for more than two years. Housing starts, which measure new home construction, are also scheduled to be released this week, but it is unclear whether the shutdown will continue to see delays in that government data.

Minutes from the Federal Open Markets Committee’s October meeting will provide market watchers with more insight into deliberations over where to set interest rates, which has divided some officials. Investors will also be watching the final November report on consumer sentiment, which showed earlier this month that the government shutdown was starting to make some consumers more concerned about the state of the economy.

Quick links: Summary of last week’s trading | Read the latest Investopedia news

This week’s calendar

Monday 17 November

• Empire State Manufacturing Survey (October)
• Fed officials speak: New York Fed President John Williams
• Key Dividends: XPeng (XPEV), Aramark (ARMK)

Tuesday 18 November

• Home Builder Confidence Index (November)
• More data to watch: Industrial Production/Capacity Utilization (October)
• Data release likely to be affected by the lockdown: Import Price Index (October)
• Key Earnings: Home Depot (HD), Medtronic (MDT), Baidu (BIDU), PDD Holdings (PDD), Klarna Group (KLAR)

Wednesday 19 November

• Existing Home Sales (October)
• Data release likely to be affected by lockdown: Housing Start (October)
• October FOMC meeting minutes
• Fed officials speak: New York Fed President John Williams
• Key Earnings: Nvidia (NVDA), TJX Companies (TJX), Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Lowe’s Companies (LOW), Target (TGT), Viking Holdings (VIK), Williams-Sonoma (WSM)

Thursday 20 November

• Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Survey (November)
• More Data to Watch: Leading US Economic Indicators (October)
• Data Release Likely Impacted by Shutdown: Initial Jobless Claims (Week Ending November 15)
• Fed officials speak: Chicago Fed President Austin Goolsbee
• Key Earnings: Walmart (WMT), Intuit (INTU), Ross Stores (ROST), GAP (GAP)

Friday 21 November

• Consumer Sentiment – ​​Final (November)
• More data to watch: S&P Flash Purchasing Managers’ Index (November)
• Key Earnings: BJ’s Wholesale (BJ)

Another thing

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