(News Bulletin 247) – The New York Stock Exchange is expected to be almost unchanged on Monday at the start of the session, in the absence of major economic indicators and as the earnings season is now coming to an end.

Half an hour before the opening, the ‘futures’ contracts on the main New York indices are moving around balance, announcing an opening with no real direction.

Wall Street – which has had a difficult start to August so far – is counting on any good news on the consumer front this week to regain bullish momentum.

The next sessions will indeed be animated by the results of several heavyweights of the large distribution, which could allow the sector to finally stand out.

Among the companies due to publish their results by Friday are some leading brands such as Walmart, Home Depot, and Target.

Retail sales figures for the month of July, due tomorrow, should also show an acceleration in the rise in purchases by Americans, to +0.4% last month, after that of 0.2% recorded in June.

A good surprise would confirm the solidity of consumption in the United States, but could also provide the Federal Reserve with ammunition to continue raising its rates.

All these appointments are awaited with all the more impatience since the values ​​linked to consumption have partly missed the stock market rally of the last few months.

If the non-constrained consumer goods compartment has posted one of the best sector performances since January 1, with a gain of nearly 33%, that of essential consumption is almost stable this year.

The consumer could nevertheless constitute a lever likely to bring new impetus to the market by confirming the scenario of a soft landing hitherto hoped for by investors.

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