The U.S. stock market seems positioned for a slightly higher start this morning, as investors get ready for a busy week on Wall Street. In Europe, the markets have been putting in a mixed showing today. The S&P 500 futures had been nicely higher earlier, but are now sitting just above the neutral line. This week, investors will be focusing on corporate profits, as the first quarter earnings season starts to unfold.
In economic news, the housing market will be in the spotlight for the next several days. Today, we will get a look at the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) Housing Market Index for the month of April. Tomorrow, housing starts and building permits for March will be released, followed by existing home sales on Thursday. These reports should be closely watched be investors, as the housing market plays an important role in the nation’s economy. The real estate industry has experienced some pressure over the past year, as mortgage rates moved higher and fears of a recession became more pronounced. However, it is possible that the situation is starting to stabilize.
In the corporate arena, the first quarter earnings season continues this week, with a barrage of companies reporting results. This morning, The Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) posted results that largely conformed to analyst expectations. However, the stock is up just slightly in pre- market trading. Tomorrow, we will hear from The Goldman Sachs Group (GS), another leading financial name. In addition, Netflix (NFLX) will deliver its report. Here, investors will want to know if the entertainment giant has been able to turn business around. As the week progresses, investors should see how corporate America has been holding up in the current environment. Analysts expect that most companies will post soft results, however it is possible that there will be some upside surprises.
From a technical vantage point, equities have made considerable progress over the past few weeks. The S&P 500 Index is not far below the 4,200 area, which was roughly the highest point reached this year. Moving past this area would certainly lift investor sentiment, and might even clear the way for further progress. Much will depend on the quality of the corporate reports that will be posted in the days ahead. Hopefully, the major banks will demonstrate that they can weather the storm. Some positive reports from the leading technology companies would also be a major plus. – Adam Rosner
At the time of this article’s writing, the author had a position in Charles Schwab (SCHW).
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