Week Ahead Market Report: 4/19/2010

(MarketNewsVideo.com) -- Good morning, I'm KRISTIN BIANCO, with the Week Ahead Market Report for April 19, 2010.

In overseas equity markets this morning, Japan's Nikkei 225 index dropped 1.7 percent while China's Shanghai market plunged 5.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 2.1 percent.

The German DAX edged down 0.5 percent and Britain's Footsie 100 index was lower by 0.7 percent on Monday.

U.S. S&P index futures were trading off 0.6 percent in Monday's pre-market action.

Crude oil futures for May were trading lower by 2.7 percent at just over $81 a barrel this morning.

April gold futures fell 0.8 percent over the weekend, trading at just over $1,127 an ounce.

Economic news will take a back seat to earnings reports but the end of the week will see potential market moving economic releases.

On Thursday, March existing home sales will be released. Economists are expecting a lift in home sales of 4.6 percent for March after sales fell 0.6 percent in February.

The most important economic release for the week is Friday's durable goods report. Durable goods are projected to have increased by 0.4 percent for March after rising 0.5 percent in February, another positive signal for the economy.

The markets were caught off-guard on Friday as SEC regulators charged Goldman Sachs (GS) and a Vice President at the firm with failing to disclose key information to clients related to mortgage-related securities. The market will be focusing on any further developments in the Goldman Sachs saga.

This will be a big week on the earnings front with more than 450 companies reporting.

IBM (IBM) will report after the market closes on Monday. Analysts are expecting first quarter profits of $1.93 per share.

Coca Cola (KO) will report profits on Tuesday before the market opens. The consensus estimate is 74 cents per share.

Though overshadowed by the SEC allegations, Goldman Sachs will report first quarter earnings before the market opens on Tuesday. The company is expected to announce $4.01 per share.

On Wednesday, Morgan Stanley (MS) is scheduled to report quarterly earnings of 57 cents per share before the market opens.

Mining giant Freeport-McMoran (FCX) is scheduled to report earnings on Wednesday morning. Analysts are expecting Freeport to earn $1.91 per share for the first quarter.

After the market close on Wednesday, eBay (EBAY) will report earnings with analysts expecting 41 cents a share.

On Thursday after the market closes, Amazon.com (AMZN) will report profits, with analysts forecasting 62 cents per share.

Oil services company Schlumberger will report on Friday AM with analysts expecting 61 cents per share in earnings.

Join us on Friday for the Weekly Market Wrap and have a wonderful week.

The preceeding is a transcript of the MarketNewsVideo.com video published at: http://www.marketnewsvideo.com/?id=201004WeekAhead041910&mv=1.