Week ahead: falling bond yields, coronavirus fears, retail results
After a rush to the safety of the bond market pushed U.S. treasury yields on the 30-year bond to a record low and the 10-year note to a September low, investors in the upcoming week will continue to focus on how much fear there is on Wall Street about the economic and business fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
One of the areas impacted the most has been travel and tourism. Hotel operator Marriott International is likely to provide an update when it releases quarterly results on Thursday.
It's also a big week for retail earnings: Dow component Home Depot is first out of the gate on Tuesday, followed later in the week by Best Buy along with T.J. Maxx and Home Goods parent TJX. But the struggling department store retailers are the ones to watch: Macy's reports on Tuesday. It will be the company's first since announcing plans to close 125 locations and shed 2,000 jobs. Meanwhile, J.C. Penny is expected to report a drop in holiday-quarter sales.
How is the fake-meat craze going? Investors will find out when Beyond Meat gives out quarterly numbers Thursday. Wall Street is keen on hearing any updates on Beyond Meat's plant-alternative proteins showing up at KFC and McDonald's.
And on next week's economic calendar: updates on consumer spending and feelings ... orders for long-lasting durable goods...new homes sales..and it all wraps up with the final fourth-quarter reading on total economic growth, otherwise known as GDP.
