Upbeat music plays.
[Screen shows "Weekly Market Outlook with Jeffrey Kleintop"]
[Jeff holds up an illustration of scissors directed at a percentage sign, labelled "Rates"]
From interest-rate decisions in Australia to the most-timely readings on how major economies are responding to the latest tariff threats, to a wave of corporate earnings including Walmart and Alibaba, I'm Jeff Kleintop with 90 seconds on what you need to know for the week ahead.
On Tuesday, we get the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate decision. Economists see thenRBA lowering the policy rate by 25bps to 4.1% in their first cut since 2020. Inflation in Australia is 2.4% and falling. And, on Wednesday, we get the FOMC minutes—Fed minutes—of the January policy meeting when they left rates unchanged with U.S. inflation at 3.0% and rising.
On Thursday we get earnings
[Jeff holds up an illustration of a person in winter gear holding a sign labelled "Earnings Season"]
from Walmart and Alibaba. Inflation and Trump tariffs may cast a shadow over otherwise what analysts are expecting to be strong quarterly earnings results. Alibaba may offer guidance on AI and any possible impact on the planned imposition of U.S. import tariffs on small packages from Chinese sellers to American buyers. Likewise, investors may want to know how resurgent inflation and potential import tariffs may impact Wal-Mart.
On Friday, we get my favorite
[Jeff holds up an illustration of a factory with smokestacks]
monthly economic data point: the preliminary February purchasing managers index for the U.S., Germany, France, U.K. and others. The PMIs will offer some insight into how manufacturing and trade sentiment is faring amid tariff threats. In Europe, the readings will provide a sense of how the economy is holding up in the face of potential U.S. tariff threats, after stagnating in Q4 when Germany and France both saw negative GDP growth. The survey from January suggested the economy in Europe was improving, the headline reading rose to 50.2 in January from 49.6 in December—above the average for October to December. We'll see what February Holds.
Thanks for watching.
[Jeff holds up sign saying "Thank You"]
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