| Good morning, investors! The Nasdaq and S&P 500 hit fresh closing highs Thursday before trading flat Friday, capping off another strong week fueled by benign inflation readings and solid earnings season momentum. With over 80% of S&P 500 companies beating sales and earnings estimates so far, this week brings the heavy hitters: Alphabet and Tesla headline Wednesday's releases as roughly 100 companies report. Meanwhile, trade tensions remain in focus as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expresses confidence about striking an EU deal. Here's what you need to know: MAGNIFICENT SEVEN SPOTLIGHTTwo tech giants take center stage Wednesday in what could be market-moving reports: Alphabet (GOOGL): The Google parent faces scrutiny over its AI investments and search advertising trends. With increased competition from AI-powered search alternatives and ongoing regulatory pressures, investors will focus on cloud growth, YouTube performance, and any updates on AI integration across its services. Tesla (TSLA): Elon Musk's electric vehicle maker reports amid questions about delivery growth, margin pressure, and the long-awaited robotaxi developments. The 5:30 p.m. earnings call promises to feature Grok, Tesla's generative AI chatbot, while investors await updates on the Optimus V3 humanoid robot and autonomous driving progress. BROAD EARNINGS LINEUPBeyond the tech headliners, this week features a diverse array of major companies: - Monday: Verizon (VZ), NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), Domino's Pizza (DPZ)
- Tuesday: Coca-Cola (KO), General Motors (GM), Lockheed Martin (LMT), Texas Instruments (TXN), Philip Morris International (PM)
- Wednesday: IBM (IBM), T-Mobile (TMUS), AT&T (T), Chipotle (CMG), ServiceNow (NOW)
- Thursday: Intel (INTC), Honeywell (HON), Union Pacific (UNP), Blackstone (BX)
- Friday: Charter Communications (CHTR), Phillips 66 (PSX)
Defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman will provide insights into government spending priorities, while telecom giants Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile will reveal consumer and enterprise demand trends. TARIFF IMPACT ASSESSMENTThese earnings reports will offer the first comprehensive look at how Trump administration tariffs are affecting major corporations. Commerce Secretary Lutnick's weekend comments expressing confidence about an EU deal provide some optimism, though a CBS poll showing 61% of Americans believe the administration is putting too much focus on tariffs suggests growing public concern. Companies across sectors—from Tesla's global supply chain to Coca-Cola's international operations—will likely face questions about tariff impacts on costs, pricing strategies, and geographic expansion plans. FED POSITIONING AHEAD OF BLACKOUTWith traders pricing in less than a 5% chance of a rate cut at the July 29-30 FOMC meeting, this week represents the final stretch before the Fed enters its blackout period. Fed Governor Christopher Waller's rare advocacy for a late-July rate cut last week added an unexpected twist to Fed communications. Chairman Powell gives welcome remarks Tuesday at a banking conference, while Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman hosts a fireside chat about AI's effects on banks and businesses—timely topics given this week's tech earnings focus. HOUSING MARKET REALITY CHECKTwo housing reports will provide updated snapshots of the struggling real estate sector: - Wednesday: Existing-home sales (forecast: 4 million annualized rate, near 15-year lows)
- Thursday: New-home sales (expected: 650,000 rate, up 27,000 from May)
These reports come as affordability remains a major challenge, with higher mortgage rates and elevated prices continuing to constrain buyer activity. ECONOMIC DATA HIGHLIGHTS- Thursday: Flash PMI reports for July (Manufacturing expected at 52.7, Services at 53.1), ECB monetary policy decision (rates expected to remain unchanged at 2%)
- Friday: Durable Goods Orders (forecast: -10.8% month-over-month decline after May's massive 16.4% jump—the largest increase since 2014)
The durable goods report has been particularly volatile due to tariff front-running, making this reading crucial for understanding underlying business investment trends. WHAT I'M WATCHINGTesla's earnings call promises to be eventful with Grok's appearance and potential robotaxi updates. Any concrete timelines or regulatory approval news could significantly impact not just Tesla but the broader autonomous vehicle ecosystem, including companies like Uber, Waymo, and other AV players. Alphabet faces a critical moment as investors assess whether the company's massive AI investments are translating into revenue growth and competitive advantages. Google's search dominance faces new challenges from AI-powered alternatives, making this earnings report particularly important for understanding the shifting competitive landscape. The tariff impact theme running through this week's earnings could provide the clearest picture yet of how trade policies are affecting corporate operations. Unlike previous quarters where companies could only speculate about potential impacts, we're now seeing real data on cost pressures, supply chain adjustments, and pricing strategies. Intel's Thursday report deserves special attention, given the company's struggles in the AI chip race and broader semiconductor cyclical concerns. Any guidance, revision, or strategic updates could influence the entire chip sector. President Trump's scheduled AI speech on Wednesday adds another layer of interest to the tech earnings, potentially impacting crypto markets and AI-related stocks depending on policy announcements or regulatory guidance. 84% Win Rate on Options 21 winners, 4 losses from Layered Option Alert. Why "layered"? Each signal passes through multiple confirmation filters. No rushed alerts. No desperate plays. Only the cream of the crop makes it through. Quality over quantity. Results over hype. Secure your options edge → LAYERED OPTION ALERT Until next time, FindBetterTrades P.S. With Alphabet and Tesla both reporting on Wednesday, which do you think will have the bigger market impact? Hit reply with your prediction for how these tech titans will perform! | 
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