• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
FeaturesWeek Ahead

U.S. Retail Sales, Trump Speech, and Disney Earnings—5 Things to Watch in the Week Ahead

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 7, 2016, 2:19 PM ET
Donald Trump Holds Campaign Rally At Valdosta State University In Georgia
Photograph by Mark Wallheiser — Getty Images

Hello friends and Fortune readers.

This week, investors will hope that Friday’s record-breaking day for U.S. stocks can carry over into the new week, as the market waits to consider new data on retail sales as well as earnings reports from several major retail companies. Media giant Walt Disney also reports quarterly results this week. Meanwhile, Donald Trump will look to reverse his campaign’s recent tumultuous streak with an important speech on economic policy, while people around the world will have their eyes on Rio de Janeiro and the first full week of competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Here’s what you need to know for the week ahead.

1. U.S. stocks

The stock market will look to continue last week’s surge, which helped the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite close Friday trading with new all-time highs after the Labor Department reported a stronger-than-expected employment report for the month of July. Solid gains on Friday put the Nasdaq up 1.7% for the week after a few bumpy days for the market overall as investors waited for the latest jobs report while remaining concerned over the global economy. Despite reaching a new record closing point on Friday, the S&P 500 only gained 0.4% on the week, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average improved by about 106 points, or 0.6%, on the week.

2. U.S. retail sales

Among the important economic data being released this week that will hold investors’ attention is the Commerce Department’s Friday report on U.S. retail sales, which are expected to have logged a fourth-straight month of improvement in July. Retail sales likely increased by 0.4% last month, after a 0.6% gain in June. Also coming this week is the Labor Department’s report on second-quarter nonfarm productivity in the U.S., which is expected to have increased at a 0.5% annual rate after a slight dip in the previous quarter.

3. Trump on the economy

The controversial GOP presidential nominee seemingly stumbled through last week, as Donald Trump sank in national polls while coming under fire for a variety of comments and campaign decisions—from an ill-advised war of words with the Muslim parents of a fallen U.S. Army captain to Trump’s refusal to endorse prominent Republicans such as Paul Ryan and John McCain. On Monday, Trump will look to flip the recent script by tackling the U.S. economy and his plans for promoting growth in an economic policy speech he’ll deliver at the Detroit Economic Club. Trump reportedly plans to use the speech to discuss his tax plan as well as proposed policy changes related to the energy and healthcare industries. Last week, Trump made news by revealing his economic advisory team, a group of 13 men (no women) that is dominated by Wall Street types, including hedge funders like John Paulson and Stephen Feinberg.

4. Walt Disney earnings

Walt Disney reports its latest quarterly results on Tuesday and the media and entertainment giant should post a third-quarter bump in both revenue and profits. However, Disney is still expected to fall short of Wall Street’s forecasts as the company’s media networks division likely suffered from further subscriber declines for cable sports network ESPN that weighed on advertising revenue. The good news for Disney is that the company’s movie studio posted a banner third quarter, thanks to the huge box office success of films such as The Jungle Book adaptation, as well as the year’s two highest-grossing movies so far, Captain America: Civil War and Finding Dory.

Other major companies reporting quarterly earnings this week include Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and pharmaceutical company Allergan, which is only a few months removed from seeing its $160 billion merger with Pfizer knocked down by new U.S. laws aimed at curbing corporate tax inversions. Last week, business groups representing Allergan and Pfizer brought a lawsuit related to the scuttled deal against the federal government.

5. Retailer earnings

In the same week that new retail sales figures for the U.S. will be released, several major retailers will be reporting their latest financial results, led by the country’s largest department store operator. Macy’s is expected to post a second-quarter profit when it reports earnings on Thursday, as a strong consumer sector, as well warm weather in June and July spurring apparel sales, likely contributed to a solid quarter for the retailer. On Friday, upmarket retailer Nordstrom will is likely to report solid second-quarter results. That same day, J.C. Penney will also report second-quarter numbers and the retailer is also expected to have benefitted from strong apparel sales, thanks to warmer weather, while the company’s decision to begin selling appliances also likely bolstered sales.

Other retailers reporting quarterly results this week include Gap, Kohl’s, and Ralph Lauren.

 

—Reuters contributed to this article.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Features

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Features

Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf
MagazineDefense
Inside Anduril: Meet the quiet engineer-CEO building America’s $31 billion weapons startup
By Allie GarfinkleMay 6, 2026
15 days ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
MagazineData centers
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
15 days ago
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
MagazineAmerican Express
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
By Shawn TullyMay 6, 2026
15 days ago
Photo of Marc Benioff
Magazinecommunication
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff turned his earnings call into a vodcast. Why other Fortune 500 CEOs might follow
By Rachel VentrescaMay 6, 2026
15 days ago
Intel Chief Exec, Lip-Bu Tan, on stage
EuropeIntel
Intel’s share price just blew the doors off. One man thinks he knows the reason why
By Kamal AhmedApril 27, 2026
24 days ago
Who owns ideas in the AI age?
MagazinePublishing
Who owns ideas in the AI age?
By Francesca CassidyApril 8, 2026
1 month ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
19 hours ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
4 days ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
9 days ago
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
Workplace Culture
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 20, 2026
21 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.