By Dhirendra Tripathi
Investing.com -- The market’s two-day climb back from Monday’s rout took a pause on Thursday after an unexpectedly large jump in new jobless claims in the most recent week. The S&P 500 inched higher while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was basically flat heading into the last half-hour of trading.
For the week ended Saturday, claims reached a nine-week high of 419,000 against expectations for filings of 350,000. Still the move was largely brushed off by some economists, who expect the downward trend in claims to resume.
Bank stocks took a hit from a drop in bond yields, balanced by a runup in tech stocks. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)reached a 52-week high ahead of the tech giant’s quarterly results slated for next week.
New menu items helped make Domino’s Pizza Inc (NYSE:DPZ) one of the best performers of the day, jumping 13% on a positive earnings report.
It’s another quiet summer Friday on the data front, though earnings continue to pour out, setting up next week’s flurry of reports from big technology companies.
Here are three things that could affect markets tomorrow:
1. American Express profits
American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) is expected to report earnings per share of $1.63 on revenue of $9.55 billion for the second quarter, according to analysts tracked by Investing.com. Stronger consumer spending in the quarter is likely to be a trend, but analysts will also be listening to the outlook on small business spending and the economic rebound.
2. Honeywell earnings
Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:HON), the manufacturing and tech company, is seen posting second-quarter revenue of $8.65 billion and EPS of $1.94.
3. Kimberly Clark earnings
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB) is likely to register a second-quarter EPS of $1.74 on revenue of $4.78 billion. The maker of Scott toilet paper and Huggies diapers said in March it would have to raise prices because of rising materials costs, and consumers were expected to see the increases at the register by the end of June.