Market Week Snapshot: Inflation Data Incoming + Earnings Galore

Think this week is boring? Think again. May 12-16 is absolutely stacked with economic releases that could shake markets.

The headline act? Thursday is absolutely brutal—or beautiful, depending on your portfolio. Jobless claims, retail sales, PPI, manufacturing surveys, AND capacity utilization all drop the same day. If inflation data comes hot on Tuesday (CPI + core CPI), expect volatility.

Earnings side: Get ready for BABA, JD.com, Walmart, Take-Two, Deere, Sea, and Under Armour to report. That’s a lot of guidance-watching.

Quick rundown of key dates:

• Mon 5/12: U.S. Federal budget
• Tue 5/13: CPI showtime (this matters for Fed rate calls) + NFIB sentiment
• Wed 5/14: Chill day, just Fed commentary
• Thu 5/15: The data dump—claims, retail, PPI, manufacturing, industrial production
• Fri 5/16: Import prices, housing data, consumer sentiment

What to watch: If CPI stays hot, expect hawkish Fed pushback. If retail sales disappoint, that’s recession whispers. Housing starts and permits on Friday could set the tone for next week.

Not all dates confirmed yet, so stay tuned.