Dow looks to extend winning streak as central-bank decisions and raft of earnings loom

What’s driving markets

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures showed the benchmark inching higher and in line for an 11th consecutive day of gains, extending its best run since 2017.

The blue-chip index sits at its loftiest level since March 2022, reflecting a broadening of the rally that in recent months had been mainly powered by big technology stocks.

The surge reflects hopes that cooling inflation will allow central banks to soon stop their rate rise campaigns and that any economic downturn caused by the monetary tightening will not impact corporate profits too badly.

Key Words: Morgan Stanley credits ‘Bidenomics’ in lifting its U.S. economic-growth outlook

To that end, the coming week will have plenty for traders to chew on, with the top three central banks delivering rate decisions and a slew of U.S. companies presenting their results.

The Federal Reserve is expected on Wednesday to raise borrowing costs by 25 basis points to a range of 5.25% to 5.50%, and investors will be keen to hear whether that may be the last for the cycle. The Bank of Japan on Friday should leave rates unchanged but may say something about removing elements of its ultra-loose policy, such as buying bonds to suppress yields.

On Thursday, the European Central Bank will deliver its decision. Another increase in borrowing costs is expected, but the ECB’s hawkishness may be tempered by reports released Monday that showed economic activity in the eurozone slumped to an eight-month low in July.

Corporate results due on Monday include Domino’s Pizza
DPZ,
-0.62%,
Whirlpool
WHR,
-1.15%,
Logitech
LOGI,
+0.91%
and NXP Semiconductors
NXPI,
+0.64%.
Alphabet
GOOG,
+0.65%
and Microsoft
MSFT,
-0.89%
will present their numbers on Tuesday, Meta
META,
-2.73%
on Wednesday and Intel
INTC,
+1.95%
on Thursday..

“The debate around how much the economy needs to be zapped with higher rates to quash inflation properly is still raging on. While the expectation is that interest rates will need to go higher still, that’s led to some stagnation in the US markets as we kick off the week, following strong gains last week,” said Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

“Investors are holding their breath ahead of key tech earnings, which among other things, will paint a picture for how advertising demand is shaping up, as well as how the league tables are looking for the AI race. Market volatility, especially from the Nasdaq composite, is likely to be coming down the line,” Lund-Yates added.

U.S. economic updates set for release on Monday include the S&P “flash” U.S. manufacturing and services PMIs for July, due at 9:45 a.m. Eastern.