Earnings Season Kicks Off: What to Expect

The financial world is gearing up for a busy week. Investors are keeping a close eye on the market as the first-quarter earnings season hits its peak. More than 180 companies from the S&P 500 are set to reveal their quarterly results. Among them are tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. Other major players such as Visa, Coca-Cola, Eli Lilly, and Berkshire Hathaway will also share their financial reports. So far, this quarter has seen a decent number of companies exceeding analysts' predictions. About 73% of the companies that have reported have beaten expectations. However, this is lower than the usual 5-year average of 77%. Wall Street is already adjusting its expectations for the second quarter and the entire year. The market has been on a rollercoaster ride recently. President Donald Trump's tariff plans have added to the uncertainty, making the market more volatile. April has been a tough month for the S&P 500, which is down by 1. 5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is also struggling, on track to lose 4. 5%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite has managed to stay in the green, up by 0. 5%. The S&P 500 briefly entered a bear market earlier this month but has since made a slight recovery. However, it has yet to break through key resistance levels. This week marks the end of the month's trading, and investors are watching closely to see how the market will perform. Stock futures took a slight dip on Sunday evening. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 60 points, or 0. 1%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures both slipped by 0. 2%. This dip comes as investors brace themselves for the upcoming earnings reports. The market's performance this week could provide some clues about its direction in the coming months. Investors are also keeping an eye on the broader economic context. The recent volatility in the market is partly due to uncertainty around trade policies. Many of Trump's tariff plans are still in flux, adding to the market's jitters. This uncertainty could continue to impact the market in the coming weeks.