What to Expect in Markets This Week: Fresh Inflation Data; Apple’s Fall Launch Event and Oracle Earnings

What to Expect in Markets This Week: Fresh Inflation Data; Apple’s Fall Launch Event and Oracle Earnings The CPI inflation report will influence the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates.

Sun, September 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM GMT+3 5 min read

• AAPL -2.51%
• ORCL +3.08%

This week is set to bring an update on inflation that could sway the stance of the nation's central bank.

After a hotter-than-expected jobs report Friday suggested the economy could be stronger than anticipated, this week's report on the Consumer Price Index in August may matter more in the Federal Reserve's deliberations on whether to raise interest rates later this month.

Recent escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict and supply disruptions that have fueled higher energy costs could show up at the pump and elsewhere, as businesses pass those costs on to consumers. Average U.S. gas prices set a record for the month of August and were on track to hit a high over Labor Day weekend, according to AAA, a group representing motorists.

The rise in fuel prices appears to be influencing shifts in Americans' behavior, and an update on consumer sentiment might offer us more insight on their reactions. Americans say they're driving less, and data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics backs them up. Consumers are also spending carefully, with retail sales stagnating.

Ahead of the inflation and consumer sentiment data releases due Friday, investors will hear from a number of consumer companies. Casey's General Stores, American Eagle Outfitters and Macy's are slated to report, along with Adobe, the parent company of Illustrator and PhotoShop. Database and cloud computing giant Oracle will give an update on its financials too. Meanwhile, Apple's annual product event is generating buzz about new phone models.

Market Recap

After logging gains for the month of August, the major indexes ended last week on a down note. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite still managed to eke out gains for the week as the AI trade rallied into the long holiday weekend, while the Dow slipped into the red for the week. Yields fell Thursday when Federal Reserve Governor Christoper Waller said he was leaning towards keeping interest rates steady in September, but turned higher Friday in the wake of the government's August jobs report. Crude oil prices climbed as the Iran war dragged on.

This Week's Top Events

The stock market will be closed Monday for Labor Day. Here's a look at major events happening throughout the rest of the week. TradingView publishes a more detailed calendar, but clicking the link will take you off the Investopedia site.

• Tuesday, Sept. 8: Casey's General Stores (CASY) is slated to release its fiscal first-quarter results after the closing bell and host a conference call Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. ET. Business has soared at the gas station chain as inflation-weary consumers rely more heavily on discount and convenience stores.

• Wednesday, Sept. 9: Apple (AAPL) is scheduled to host a product release event at 1 p.m. ET. The retailer is expected to unveil new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, with improved chips, battery life and cameras, as well as a foldable iPhone, according to Bloomberg. This will be the first round of product launches under CEO John Ternus. Apple has had a number of recent hiccups with releases, including the cancellation of an all-glass iPhone and delays with AI features.

• Wednesday: American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) is slated to publish its second-quarter results after the closing bell and host a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET. The apparel company's buzzy campaigns with actress Sydney Sweeney helped lift share prices early in the year, though they've since given back some of the gains.

• Thursday, Sept. 10: Macy's (M) is set to hold a conference call on its second-quarter results at 8 a.m. ET, with the numbers expected before then. Although department stores have struggled in recent years, investors welcomed Macy's results this spring and bought shares when Berkshire Hathaway disclosed an increased stake in Macy's this May.

• Thursday: Oracle (ORCL) is slated to publish its fiscal first-quarter results after the market closes, and host a conference call at 5 p.m. ET. The cloud services giant topped expectations last quarter, but shares tumbled as the company unveiled new fundraising plans. Investors have periodically grown cautious of Oracle's debt load and reliance on a few major customers.

• Thursday: Adobe (ADBE) is scheduled to publish its fiscal third-quarter results after the closing bell and host a conference call at 5 p.m. ET. The software company beat expectations and raised its forecast last quarter, still investors have been concerned about AI disruption and changes in its leadership. Last week, the company named Anil Chakravarthy its new CEO starting in December, succeeding Shantanu Narayen.

• Friday, Sept. 11: The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to publish the August Consumer Price Index at 8:30 a.m. ET.

• Friday: Kroger (KR) is slated to host a conference call on its second-quarter results at 8 a.m. ET, with the numbers expected shortly before then. The grocery operator handed in results in-line with expectations last quarter, but cautioned that expenses were increasing faster than sales. The chain spent more on transportation and discounts, including price cuts, as many Americans tried to reign in spending at supermarkets.

• Friday: The University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers plans to release preliminary September data at 10 a.m. ET.

More Investopedia Reads

Apple shares rose 2,250% during Tim Cook's tenure as CEO, Peter Gratton reports. The pace of hiring has slowed and is now near rates seen during COVID-19, Diccon Hyatt writes. High long-term bond yields could hold back the stock market, Kara Greenberg reports, but they may be convenient for some investors, Polo Rocha explains.

Read the original article on Investopedia