FX.co ★ US Stocks Higher, Earnings In Focus

U.S. stocks began the week positively, with the S&P 500 increasing by 0.3%, the Nasdaq by 0.5%, and the Dow Jones climbing approximately 50 points. This upward momentum comes as investors keep a close watch on trade developments and brace for a significant wave of corporate earnings. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reiterated that August 1st remains a firm deadline for the introduction of new tariffs, although he noted that discussions with trade partners continue. The communication services and materials sectors led the market's performance. On the earnings front, Verizon saw a nearly 3% increase in its stock after surpassing expectations in both earnings and revenue while also raising its full-year profit forecast. The market's attention is now shifting to imminent major earnings announcements from industry giants like Alphabet, Tesla, IBM, T-Mobile, and Coca-Cola. In contrast, Microsoft shares experienced a slight decline of 0.3% following a company warning about "active attacks."