Earnings, inflation and housing will top next week’s investing agenda, along with the first initial public offering in nearly four months.
All eyes will be focused on quarterly reports from the likes of technology bellwether Dell, and retail giants Lowe’s, Home Depot and Target, for signs of where consumer spending trends are headed.
Also coming next week are economic reports that will offer insight into inflation and the current housing market.
Meanwhile, a lame-duck session of Congress will debate the merits of a bailout for the Big Three U.S. auto makers. A decision could have widespread ramifications for the stock markets.
MONDAY: Earnings from Lowe’s (LOW), and Target (TGT).
TUESDAY: Earnings from Dillard’s (DDS), Home Depot (HD), Staples (SPLS), and the government’s producer price index, which follows inflation at the wholesale level.
WEDNESDAY: Earnings from BJ’s Wholesale Club (BJ), and the release of the consumer price index, which tracks inflation at the retail level. Also to be released are figures tied to building permits and housing starts.
Wednesday will also see the first scheduled initial public stock offering in about four months, this from Grand Canyon Education Inc. (LOPE), an online college that hopes to sell 10.5 million shares for between $16 and $18, down $2 from the original price range.
THURSDAY: Earnings from Dell (DELL) and Barnes & Noble (BKS). Dell is expected to report earnings of 32 cents a share on revenue of $16.4 billion. Both figures are down slightly from year-earlier results. Dell has offered a gloomy outlook for global demand for its personal computers. The private Conference Board's October Index of Leading Indicators is also out.
FRIDAY: Earnings from Ann Taylor Stores (ANN).
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