Markets face a pivotal week with the rare overlap of delayed January jobs and CPI reports, both essential for gauging economic direction and Federal Reserve policy cues.
Key Economic Indicators on Deck
The January nonfarm payrolls report, postponed by a government shutdown, arrives Wednesday. Economists anticipate a modest gain of around 70,000 jobs, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.4%. Recent labor data signals softening, including rising claims, layoffs, and declining job openings.
January CPI data follows Friday, projecting a 0.3% monthly increase for both headline and core measures. Annual rates remain roughly 0.5% above the Fed’s 2% target.
Analysis highlights tariff impacts: Importers front-loaded inventory ahead of 2025 tariffs, depleting stocks over the holidays. Retailers now restock at elevated prices, potentially pushing inflation higher and squeezing margins.
Earnings Calendar Highlights
Seventy-eight S&P 500 firms report results, including Dow components Coca-Cola (KO), McDonald’s (MCD), and Cisco (CSCO). The Dow Jones Industrial Average surpasses 50,000 for the first time last week.
Coca-Cola maintains steady growth, safeguards margins, and navigates macroeconomic challenges effectively.
Super Bowl Ad Wars Heat Up
Super Bowl LX draws intense advertising battles, pitting AI leaders OpenAI against Anthropic. Anthropic jabs at OpenAI’s new ad strategy, while OpenAI positions itself as AI’s future.
Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) dominates with 2 minutes 30 seconds of national ads and 45 seconds regional. Other players include Instacart (CART), Rocket Mortgage (RKT), PepsiCo (PEP), Ro, Liquid Death, Svedka vodka, Cadillac, and Meta Platforms (META).
Health Firm Halts Compounded Drug
Under pressure from Novo Nordisk (NVO) and the FDA, Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) discontinues its compounded semaglutide pill mimicking Wegovy for weight loss. “Since launching the compounded semaglutide pill on our platform, we’ve had constructive conversations with stakeholders across the industry,” the company stated. “As a result, we have decided to stop offering access to this treatment.”
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary vows action against mass-produced copycat drug makers.
Washington Post Leadership Change
In a sudden shift, Washington Post CEO and publisher Will Lewis resigns days after major staff cuts. He steps down “in order to ensure the sustainable future of The Post,” his email states, thanking owner Jeff Bezos without newsroom mention.
Dividend Declarations
Income investors note ex-dividend dates: Apple (AAPL) and Las Vegas Sands (LVS) on Monday (payouts February 12 and 18). IBM (IBM) follows Tuesday (March 10 payout), and Eli Lilly (LLY) Friday (March 10 payout).
Nasdaq 100 Technical Outlook
The Nasdaq 100 (NDX) rebounds strongly Friday, signaling bullish momentum. Key levels include the 14-day RSI surpassing 50 and reclaiming the 100-day moving average near 25,224.
