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Investors are looking ahead to a Federal Reserve meeting this week for clues on how the U.S. economy is coping with the U.S.-Iran conflict. Additional market-moving signals are expected from a heavy slate of earnings reports, with Big Tech and related infrastructure companies in focus.
The Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to deliberate privately before announcing its interest-rate decision and holding a press conference on Wednesday. Most expectations call for the federal funds rate to remain in the 3.5% to 3.75% range, where it has been since January. Some investors are also looking for potential rate cuts later this year.
The federal funds rate affects borrowing costs across the economy, including credit cards, car loans and mortgages. Lower rates can support spending and hiring, which has been a concern for some Fed officials. At the same time, easing policy can also add pressure on inflation—an issue the conflict has not helped.
Several major technology companies are set to report results and provide guidance that could influence broader market sentiment. Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft are scheduled to report on Wednesday, with Apple following on Thursday.
Analysts have pointed to continued investment in AI infrastructure as a reason for optimism, but questions remain about when companies will see returns on those spending plans. The tech sector has outperformed other areas since the start of the conflict, with investors showing willingness to look past the risk of a prolonged confrontation.
That optimism has also extended to storage firms that support AI buildouts, several of which are reporting this week.
Major indexes logged a mixed week. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 recorded their fourth consecutive weekly gains, while the Dow lost ground. The week’s Friday session was described as mostly upbeat, with the S&P 500 rising 1.6%, tech shares climbing, oil retreating, and Intel reaching record highs for the first time since 2000.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
