Tuesday

Earnings Announcements: AMAT

Wednesday

Economic Reports: Retail Sales

This is the first major report coming out this week, and could have a real impact on the markets. Expectations are for a decline in sales since last month, albeit at a slower rate than previous months. I’ve mentioned it before, but until Americans feel confident about the future of the economy, they won’t spend money. A slowing decline could show some hope that things are bottoming out. Tied into this report, and worth noting, is the large number of clothing retailers that are reporting this week (Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, JC Penney, Abercrombie and Fitch, Kohl’s, and American Apparel), and Wal-Mart’s earnings are announced on Thursday. Read the full story