Inflation Data; Fed Speakers; Earnings from Micron, Costco
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The Fed, chaired by Jerome Powell, cut interest rates last week for the first time in 2025.
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The Fed’s preferred inflation measure is due on Friday, as well as the latest GDP update, home sales data, and September consumer sentiment earlier in the week.
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Several Fed officials will deliver remarks in the wake of the central bank’s move last week to cut interest rates for the first time this year.
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Micron, Costco, AutoZone and CarMax lead the firms on this week’s corporate reporting calendar.
The Fed is back to cutting rates. What’ll it do next? We’ll learn more this week.
After last week’s decision by the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates for the first time this year, market watchers will be eager for clues about whether more cuts are in store in the coming months. Several data points due this week should offer insight. Stocks ended last week on the rise, with all three major U.S. indexes finishing at record highs.
The Fed’s preferred inflation measure comes as policymakers watch for evidence that tariffs are working their way into consumer prices. A string of Fed officials will deliver remarks over the course of the week investors will parse for hints about the possibility of further cuts at this year’s two remaining meetings.
The final revision to second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) will also be in focus, as will data on home sales, jobless claims, and consumer sentiment. Traders will be watching for earnings from chipmaker Micron, retailer Costco, and used car seller CarMax.
Read to the bottom for our calendar of key events—and one more thing.
The Personal Consumption Expenditures index for August is set to be released on Friday. PCE inflation held relatively steady in July after accelerating in June. Friday’s report will be the first reading on prices since Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned that elevated inflation and a weakening labor market give policymakers “no risk-free path” forward.
The Fed has projected that it’s likely to cut interest rates at upcoming meetings, but Powell said officials will be closely watching economic readings before making further moves. Several Fed officials are on the speaking calendar this week, including Powell and the Fed’s newest member, Stephen Miran.
Economists on Thursday will get the final revision to second-quarter GDP, which was revised higher in August. Data for both new and pending home sales in August comes amid a decline in mortgage rates in recent weeks. Data on consumer sentiment, jobless claims, and durable-goods orders are also on tap.
On the corporate calendar, Micron Technology is scheduled to report results on Tuesday. The chipmaker in June reported record quarterly revenue amid booming demand for its memory chips from data center clients. Analysts are generally bullish on Micron stock, which hit a record high last week.