What to Watch This Week: Fed Meeting, Retail Sales, Nvidia GTC, & Big Earnings.

Lean Wei Ren.

Published on 17th March 2025.

"In the world of finance, knowledge is power; staying updated is the key to unlocking opportunities and navigating risks."

Get ready for an action-packed week in the markets! Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell takes the spotlight as investors eagerly await the Fed’s latest decision on interest rates. Plus, we’ve got key retail sales data, Nvidia’s huge GTC conference, and earnings from major companies like Micron, Nike, and FedEx.

Here’s what beginner investors should keep an eye on this week:

Monday (3/17) – Retail Sales & Housing Market

🔹 The Census Bureau releases retail sales data for February. Analysts expect a 0.6% increase after a 0.9% drop in January. A strong report could mean consumers are still spending, while a weak one might signal trouble.

🔹 Excluding autos, retail sales are expected to rise 0.3% after a 0.4% decline.

🔹 The Housing Market Index (by the National Association of Home Builders) will be released. A reading below 50 means homebuilders are feeling pessimistic. Economists predict 42, the same as last month.

Tuesday (3/18) – Housing Starts

🔹 The Census Bureau reports February’s housing-starts data—a key indicator of new home construction. The estimate? 1.37 million new homes (seasonally adjusted annual rate), about the same as January.

Wednesday (3/19) – Fed Meeting & General Mills Earnings

🔹 The Federal Reserve announces its monetary-policy decision. The Fed is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at 4.25% – 4.50%. However, all eyes will be on their Summary of Economic Projections—investors want clues about when rate cuts could start!

🔹 General Mills (GIS) reports earnings—watch for insights on consumer food spending.

Thursday (3/20) – Huge Earnings Day!

🔹 Big companies reporting earnings:

• Accenture (ACN) – Consulting & tech giant

• Darden Restaurants (DRI) – Parent of Olive Garden

• FactSet (FDS) – Financial data provider

• FedEx (FDX) – Shipping & e-commerce barometer

• Lennar (LEN) – Homebuilding leader

• Micron Technology (MU) – Memory chip maker

• Nike (NKE) – Sportswear giant

• PDD Holdings (PDD) – Chinese e-commerce giant

🔹 The National Association of Realtors reports existing-home sales. Forecast: 3.9 million homes sold—near 15-year lows due to high mortgage rates.

Friday (3/21) – Carnival Earnings

🔹 Cruise operator Carnival (CCL) reports Q1 results—a key indicator of travel demand.

Bonus: Nvidia GTC 2025 (March 17–21)

Nvidia’s biggest conference of the year, GTC 2025, kicks off Monday in San Jose! Expect major announcements in AI, gaming, and data centers. Nvidia is a key player in the AI boom, so this could move the stock and the entire tech sector.

Final Thoughts

This week is all about the Fed, consumer spending, and big earnings. For beginner investors, keep an eye on:

• Fed rate decision – Impacts stocks, bonds, and borrowing costs.

• Retail sales & earnings reports – Show the health of the economy.

• Nvidia GTC – Could bring AI-related stock movements.

What are you watching this week?

~ Beyond The World