Week In Perspective: Mixed Feelings and Mixed Earnings [13-Feb-23]

Updated: 13-Feb-23

The Week on Wall Street

Stocks drifted lower as a week of mixed earnings reports and resurgent worries over Fed monetary policy dragged on investor sentiment.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.17%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 declined 1.11%. The Nasdaq Composite index lost 2.41%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dipped 0.30%.^1,2,3

Rally Stalls

Stocks struggled last week, weighed down by rising bond yields, a firming U.S. dollar, geopolitical tensions, and generally unimpressive corporate earnings reports. Perhaps the most consequential overhang was the potential direction of monetary policy. 

Initially, traders were relieved by comments made by Fed Chair Jerome Powell earlier in the week that he had not struck a more aggressive tone following the strong employment report released after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. The relief was short-lived, however, as anxieties over future monetary policy resurfaced, exacerbated by comments by one Fed governor who suggested restrictive monetary policy would be necessary for a few years to tamp down inflation.

Powell Repeats Himself

Investors were particularly eager on Tuesday to hear Powell’s first comments following the strong employment report the previous Friday. The concern was that the surprise job number would change Powell’s outlook coming out of the last FOMC meeting.

Powell instead repeated his post-FOMC meeting remarks, which were that a disinflationary trend was underway, and there remained a distance to travel before the measures taken tamed inflation. The Fed would be data-dependent in making future rate decisions. Powell also pointed out that the robust job growth showed why it might take so long to reduce inflation to the Fed’s target level.⁴

This Week: Key Economic Data

Tuesday: Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Wednesday: Retail Sales.
Thursday: Jobless Claims. Producer Price Index (PPI). Housing Starts.
Friday: Index of Leading Economic Indicators.

_{Source: Econoday, February 10, 2023 - The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.}

This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings

Tuesday: The CocaCola Company (KO), Zoetis, Inc. (ZTS), Marriott International, Inc. (MAR).
Wednesday: Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO), Shopify, Inc. (SHOP), Albemarle Corporation (ALB).
Thursday: Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT), The Southern Company (SO).
Friday: Deere & Company (DE).

_{Source: Zacks, February 10, 2023 - Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.}