Markets face their most pivotal week in months as the Federal Reserve's September 17-18 meeting arrives Wednesday afternoon, with Chair Jerome Powell's 2:30pm press conference potentially reshaping the investment landscape following recent economic data showing both employment weakness and persistent inflation concerns. Market expectations are for a 25-basis point cut with only a slight chance of a 50-basis-point adjustment. Tuesday's retail sales report will provide the final major economic data point before the Fed announcement, offering important insights into consumer spending resilience that could influence the central bank's assessment of economic momentum. The week also features Meta's (META) annual Connect developer conference beginning Wednesday, where the company is expected to unveil new virtual and augmented reality initiatives that could reshape the metaverse investment thesis. Thursday's earnings from logistics giant FedEx (FDX), homebuilder Lennar (LEN), and restaurant operator Darden (DRI) will provide diverse economic perspectives across transportation, housing, and consumer discretionary spending.
Here are 5 things to watch this week in the Market.
