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What to Expect in Markets This Week: Latest US Inflation, Jobs Data; Micron, CarMax Report
The latest monthly U.S. jobs report, closely watched by investors and economists, is due this week. Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images Wall Street will get updates on several vital topics this week. The state of the U.S. economy is at the top of the list. Officials will release the first inflation reading since the central bank raised rates on Sept. 16. The latest Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data will reflect the pre-hike environment in August. Still, the reading may influence future interest-rate decisions, given that PCE is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation. Investors will get a sense of how Americans are reacting to inflation, which has been above-target for five years, when the latest Consumer Confidence Index data comes out. The index slipped in August, though Americans felt somewhat better about the labor market. New jobs data is also due. The jobs report for September comes after employers hired more than anticipated in August, though not enough to disrupt the low-hiring, low-firing dynamic. Car prices have risen enough that an activist investment firm earlier this year urged CarMax to consider price cuts . The used car company is slated to hand in its latest quarterly results, which could provide a snapshot of pricing pressure amid tariffs and a U.S.-Canada trade war . Meanwhile, Tesla is asking people to pay $50,000 to attend an event promoting its new Roadster . Tourism and food companies are also due to report, along with Accenture, a consulting firm that’s partnering with Anthropic on AI safety, and Micron Technology, which makes memory chips. With AI fueling demand for memory and data storage, Micron and its peers have become a proxy for the health of the data center boom and key drivers of earnings growth in the tech sector. Market Recap All three of the major stock indexes logged gains last week, as oil prices eased and tech stocks got a boost from a string of high-profile partnerships and growing optimism around Meta’s ( META ) Muse AI agent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq finished Friday’s session near a record high reached earlier in the week, and the Dow snapped a three-week losing streak. Shares began to trend downward Wednesday when yields on 10-year Treasury notes hit a 19-year high , but stocks rallied as yields slid to close out the week. For more, read Friday’s market recap here . Here’s a look at the biggest events on tap this week. TradingView publishes a more detailed calendar, but clicking the link will take you off the Investopedia site. Tuesday, Sept. 29: CarMax ( KMX ) is set to release its fiscal second-quarter (ended Aug. 31) results before the opening bell and host a conference call at 8 a.m. ET. Tuesday: Carnival Corp. ( CCL ) is slated to hold a conference call on its fiscal third-quarter results at 10 a.m. ET, with the numbers expected beforehand. Spending on cruise ships held steady this summer despite lower-income consumers cutting back on other travel expenses, such as airfare and lodging. Ski resort operator Vail Resorts ( MTN ), which cut its outlook this summer, also reports this week. Tuesday: The Conference Board is scheduled to update its Consumer Confidence Index at 10 a.m. ET. Wednesday, Sept. 30: The Bureau of Economic Analysis is set to publish the August reading of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index at 8:30 a.m. ET. The index rose 3.7% year-over-year in July , matching the pace in June. Wednesday: Conagra Brands ( CAG ) is scheduled to release its fiscal first-quarter results and then host a live Q&A session at 9:30 a.m. ET. The parent company of Slim Jim and Duncan Hines met expectations last quarter, but shares dipped after it reported. Egg giant Cal-Maine Foods ( CALM ) also reports this week, along with spice and sauce company McCormick ( MKC ), which plans to merge with Unilever ( UL ). Wednesday: Micron Technology ( MU ) is slated to hold a conference call on its fiscal fourth-quarter results at 4:30 p.m. ET, with the figures expected before then. The memory chipmaker outperformed expectations last quarter. Thursday, Oct. 1: Accenture ( ACN ) is set to release its fiscal fourth-quarter results, followed by a conference call at 8 a.m. ET. The consulting firm reported fewer bookings than expected last quarter, sending its stock downward. The company launched a segment focused on AI products, and recently signed a five-year, AI safety partnership with Anthropic. Thursday: Nike ( NKE ) is slated to publish its fiscal first-quarter results at 4:15 p.m. ET, followed by a conference call at 5 p.m. The athleticwear company beat expectations last quarter, but reported declining revenue, including a 12% drop in sales in China. Nike has been struggling amid what some analysts call a “fragmented” sportswear landscape. Friday, Oct. 2: The Bureau of Labor Statistics is due to report September job numbers at 8:30 a.m. ET. More Investopedia Reads Mortgage rates topped 7% last week for the first time since early 2025, Diccon Hyatt wrote. Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices’ market cap surpassed $1 trillion for the first time as tech stocks soared, David Marino-Nachison reports. A rebound in software development roles is benefiting experienced rather than entry-level workers, Elizabeth Guevara writes. And here are the six main sources of income for Americans 65 and older, courtesy of Daniel Liberto.
