Busy 4-Day Week Awaits

Aside from homebuilder Lennar dropping numbers on Monday, the rest of the week’s earnings calendar will be full of tumbleweeds until Friday, when CarMax, Accenture, Kroger, and Darden Restaurants swoop in to give the week a bit of a glow-up.

As for economic data, don’t expect fireworks. Tuesday brings retail sales, homebuilder vibes, and import prices, while Wednesday tosses us housing starts—solid info, just not exactly red carpet material.

But the main event this week, besides any new developments from the Middle East? All eyes on the Fed. The FOMC kicks off its two-day powwow on Tuesday, and by Wednesday, Jerome Powell will step up to the mic with the latest take on interest rates. No big moves are expected, but with tariffs lurking and inflation doing its thing, Powell’s post-meeting comments could throw some clues about what’s next.

Oh, and US markets are closed Thursday for Juneteenth, so enjoy the day off.

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🏦 Fed expected to keep rates steady as tariff risks outweigh inflation data: The Fed is predicted to hold interest rates steady at its June meeting, citing mounting tariff threats that could disrupt economic growth more than inflation. Even with recent sticky inflation reports, policymakers seem more spooked by rising trade tensions. Markets are collectively sighing relief — until tariffs suddenly come off script. Read more

🎉 The Trump administration is offering 3 different scenarios for how ‘Liberation Day’ may play out: The Trump team rolled out three possible plans for a June 20 "Liberation Day" rally, including options for venue size and programming detail. The options range from a stadium blowout to a smaller, tighter event — hinting at organizers hedging for crowd turnout. It’s audience engagement meets event planning, with politics as the headline act. Read more

🇹🇼 Taiwan adds China’s Huawei, SMIC to export control list: Taiwan has put major Chinese tech firms Huawei and SMIC on its export control list, tightening restrictions amid security concerns. The move adds fuel to the tech war fire and complicates cross-strait trade ties further. Bottom line: chips and diplomacy mix like oil and water. Read more

🤖 Google will be the largest customer of Alphabet’s cloud unit after mega Meta deal: After striking a massive cloud partnership with Meta, Google Cloud is primed to gain a massive new client — itself. Alphabet is doubling down on internal cloud usage, creating what may be Google’s largest customer. Talk about investing in your own product. Read more

🕊️ Islamic state economies suffer as Gaza war drags on: The ongoing Gaza war is taking a heavy toll on regional economies, with oil prices spiking and trade flows disrupted. Inflation is rising across the Middle East, prompting central banks to hike rates — a reminder that geopolitical drama has a price tag. The ripple effects are even reaching food prices globally, leaving consumers elbow-deep in sticker shock. Read more

Monday

• Data to Watch: Empire State manufacturing survey (June)

• Key Earnings: Lennar

Tuesday

• U.S. retail sales (May)

• Homebuilder confidence (June)

• Key Earnings: Jabil, John Wiley & Sons, and La-Z-Boy

• More Data to Watch: Import/export price index (May), Industrial production/capacity utilization (May), Business inventories (April)

Wednesday

• Housing starts (May)

• FOMC interest-rate decision

• Federal Reserve Chair Powell press conference

• Key Earnings: GMS

• More Data to Watch: Initial jobless claims (Week ending June 14)

Thursday

• Financial markets closed for the Juneteenth holiday

• Key Earnings: Smith & Wesson Brands

Friday

• Leading economic indicators (May)

• Key Earnings: Accenture, Kroger, Darden Restaurants, and CarMax

• More Data to Watch: Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey (June)

🏗️ U.S. Steel shares slip as Nippon Steel faces Trump hurdle over control: U.S. Steel is seeing share pressure amid scrutiny of Nippon Steel’s bid, with the Trump-era Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. signaling potential red flags. National security concerns are looming large over what otherwise looked like a routine deal. Just when steel thought it had iron-clad plans… Read more

📉 Why this week’s Fed meeting likely won’t help stocks break out to new highs: Analysts warn that the upcoming Fed meeting probably won’t spark a stock market rally, as no fresh monetary stimulus is expected. Investors have priced in a steady rate hold, which means surprises are unlikely and market moves will be muted. So cheers to another week of status quo, minus any fireworks. Read more

💻 Washington Post launches “Cyberback” to secure emails amid surge in hacks: The Washington Post unveiled “Cyberback,” a new encrypted email offering to protect readers — especially public figures — from growing cyberattacks. This privacy-first tool aims to keep inboxes as secure as Fort Knox, or at least as secure as your stash of cat memes. In a world full of digital pickpockets, it’s comforting to have a personal cyber bodyguard. Read more

🧬 Patient death halts Duchenne gene therapy trial by Sarepta: Sarepta paused its experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy after a patient tragically died during the trial. The company emphasized the seriousness with which it’s investigating the incident and vowed transparency. It’s a sobering reminder that breakthrough science often walks a razor’s edge. Read more

💰 Trump negotiates income from crypto licensing in post-presidential plans: Trump is reportedly arranging for royalties on his name licensing in the crypto space as part of a potential re-election campaign strategy. The move suggests he’s preparing crypto-themed merchandise and monetization agreements ahead of a 2028 run. If memes can be money, this might be his ticket. Read more

Click here 👈to learn more about our charts.

Click here 👈to learn more about our charts.