The business and finance world is bracing for several key events in the upcoming week. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve will meet, with no rate action expected but investors paying close attention to comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell regarding the possibility of policy easing later in 2024. This has caused a decrease in Fed futures markets, with expectations for a decrease from 150 basis points to 35 basis points anticipated for the year.
Two tech giants, Amazon and Apple, are set to report their quarterly results this week. While Amazon’s stock has seen an 18% increase this year, Apple shares have fallen by over 10%, providing insight into the overall health of the tech sector.
China’s PMI index figures are also due to be released, with expectations for positive news that could boost confidence in the country’s economic growth. Despite challenges such as a weakening yuan, global investment houses remain optimistic about Chinese stocks, with the CSI 300 index gaining more than 10% since February.
In Europe, inflation and economic growth data will be released on Tuesday by the Euro zone. This data could influence market expectations for the European Central Bank to lower its deposit rate in June. However, economists predict only a slight increase in GDP for the Euro zone in the first quarter. Overall, these developments will shape the narrative of the business and finance world in the coming week.
