This week is shaping up to be eventful on the corporate front, as several major technology companies prepare to release their quarterly financial results. Wednesday also marks President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office. Since his inauguration in January 2025, the S&P 500 has declined by 8.7%.
A wide range of corporations across key sectors such as technology, energy, finance, and consumer goods are scheduled to report earnings. This includes companies like Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s. Notably, nearly half of the so-called Magnificent Seven tech giants are due to share updates this week.
Apple, the world’s most valuable publicly traded company, is set to report on Thursday. The company continues to face headwinds from U.S. tariff policies targeting Chinese imports, which affect Apple significantly given that the majority of its products are manufactured in China. Apple’s stock recently surged after it was announced that some of its products would be exempt from new tariffs, reversing earlier losses triggered by the policy news.
Amazon is also scheduled to report on Thursday. Analysts at Raymond James recently downgraded the stock, citing its sensitivity to international trade issues, particularly with China.
Microsoft and Meta Platforms are both expected to announce earnings on Wednesday. While tariffs are not expected to play a significant role in Microsoft’s results, there will be attention on the performance of its Intelligent Cloud division, which underperformed last quarter. Meta, meanwhile, continues to deal with regulatory scrutiny and is currently facing an antitrust lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission.
Beyond earnings, investors will be focused on a series of key economic reports this week. These include updates on the job market, inflation, the trade balance, consumer confidence, housing data, and first-quarter GDP. The GDP report, due Wednesday, will provide the first detailed look at economic activity at the start of the year. Growth had slowed in the final quarter of 2024, missing expectations.
Inflation remains a central concern, with the March Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data to be released this week. February’s figures showed inflation holding steady above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. In response, President Trump has renewed pressure on the Fed to lower interest rates, and this week’s data could spark further commentary.
Ahead of the busy earnings schedule and economic reports, U.S. stock futures slipped Monday, with more than 180 companies from the S&P 500 expected to release results. While first-quarter earnings have been relatively strong, many companies are revising their forecasts downward for the upcoming quarter and the rest of the year due to concerns over escalating global trade disputes.
Though it remains uncertain whether formal trade negotiations between the U.S. and China have resumed, there have been signs of easing tensions. Trump has recently softened his tone, and China has lifted some penalties on U.S. imports. Markets rebounded last week, with the Dow up 2.48%, the S&P 500 gaining 4.59%, and the Nasdaq jumping 6.73%, regaining ground lost earlier in the month after the announcement of reciprocal tariffs.
