STORY: From earnings reports from US tech giants to major central bank meetings, here’s what to watch in business and finance next week.
:: Thinking ahead
:: Federal Reserve
The Fed concludes its July monetary policy meeting on Wednesday.
Amid signs of slowing inflation and a weak labor market, investors are pricing in a more than 90% chance of a rate cut in September.
The U.S. jobs report due on Friday will provide an opportunity to assess whether signs of a gradual economic slowdown have continued into July.
:: Technology tantrums
The market is on edge over the performance of major U.S. tech companies.
Microsoft is scheduled to report earnings on Tuesday, Facebook parent company Meta on Wednesday, and Apple and Amazon on Thursday.
The disappointing figures could rekindle concerns that caused U.S. stocks to sell off sharply last Wednesday.
:: To hike or not to hike
Speculation is growing that the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates on Wednesday.
Japanese politicians, including the prime minister, have suggested that policies will need to be normalized in the near future.
The yen has recovered from a 30-year low earlier this month to a staggering 10 yen to the dollar.
:: Bank of England
The Bank of England meets on Thursday and markets are seeing almost a 50% chance of interest rates being cut for the first time since March 2020.
Growth has slowed, with consumer price inflation back down to 2%, but wage growth and service sector inflation have remained strong.
Markets will be closely watching the performance of big banks, including Barclays, to gauge how well they can perform when borrowing costs start to fall.
