The Week Ahead: Banks Report Earnings This Week as Inflation Data Take Center Stage

TLDR

• Big banks including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley report fourth quarter earnings this week starting Tuesday
• December Consumer Price Index inflation data releases Tuesday, with retail sales data following Wednesday
• Taiwan Semiconductor reports earnings Thursday, providing insight into AI chip demand and tech sector health
• The US added only 584,000 jobs in 2025, the weakest year for job growth outside a recession since 2003
• Federal Reserve officials speak throughout the week as traders expect 95% odds the Fed keeps rates unchanged at its January meeting

JPMorgan Chase kicks off earnings season Tuesday with its fourth quarter report. The nation’s largest bank recently announced it would become the next issuer of the Apple Card.

Wells Fargo follows Wednesday with its earnings report. The bank previously indicated it could see slower growth in its net interest income for the year.

Major Financial Institutions Report Results

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley both report Thursday. BNY Mellon, the nation’s oldest bank, also releases its quarterly results this week.

Bank of America and Citigroup join the reporting schedule Wednesday. All major banks reported solid results in the prior quarter, with analysts expecting continued improvement.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned of continued economic uncertainty despite positive results. His post-earnings remarks are closely watched by investors.

December Inflation Data Released Tuesday

The Consumer Price Index for December comes out Tuesday. The November report showed price pressures slowing to 2.7%.

Delayed wholesale inflation reports from October and November will also be released. Federal Reserve officials will watch this data closely.

Several Fed officials speak throughout the week. Traders are pricing in 95% odds that the Fed keeps rates unchanged at its late January meeting.

Retail Sales and Housing Data Expected

Retail sales data for November releases Wednesday. The report will provide insight into the 2025 holiday shopping season.

New home sales reports for September and October are due this week. Home sales have stalled due to persistent affordability challenges.

The budget deficit report will show updated tariff collection levels. Existing home sales data for December also releases Wednesday.

Taiwan Semiconductor Earnings on Thursday

Taiwan Semiconductor reports earnings Thursday. The report will show whether chipmakers can maintain strong revenue growth.

Demand for artificial intelligence chips has been surging. The company’s results will provide insight into the tech sector’s health.

US Job Growth Hits 22-Year Low

The US added 584,000 jobs in 2025, down from over 2 million in 2024. This marks the worst year for job growth outside a recession since 2003.

The unemployment rate stood at 4.4% in December. This represents the lowest rate in four months.

Youth unemployment among workers ages 16-24 reached 10.4%. This is up from 9% a year ago and 8% in December 2023.

Workers unemployed for more than 27 weeks rose to 1.95 million in December. This is up from 1.56 million a year ago and accounts for a quarter of those unemployed.

Earnings Growth Expected Across Most Sectors

S&P 500 companies are expected to report earnings rose 8.3% in the fourth quarter. This would mark the 10th straight quarter of annual profit growth.

Eight of the index’s 11 sectors are expected to report earnings growth. Only Industrials, Energy, and Consumer Discretionary are projected to show declines.

Oil prices climbed through the week after the US military captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration also conducted a large-scale seizure of the country’s oil industry.

The post The Week Ahead: Banks Report Earnings This Week as Inflation Data Take Center Stage appeared first on CoinCentral.