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Week Ahead: What to Watch From Alphabet to Employment

We'll be watching Google parent Alphabet's earnings, oil major results, consumption and jobs data this week.

Week Ahead: What to Watch From Alphabet to Employment

Jan 29, 2016

For Morningstar, I'm Jeremy Glaser. Welcome to The Week Ahead, our quick take on what investors should have on their radar screens for the week starting Feb. 1.

Earnings season is in full swing again this week.

Google parent Alphabet will report results on Monday. The firm has shown no signs of slowing down, even as users increasingly move to mobile platforms. The market will be looking for continued solid advertising growth in the fourth quarter.

We'll hear from several major oil firms including BP, ExxonMobil, and Shell this week. Results are likely to show continued pressure from low oil prices. Investors will also be eyeing refining margins and looking for guidance on capital spending.

Also due this week are earnings from Pfizer, Comcast, News Corp, and LinkedIn, among others.

On the data front, the jobs report on Friday will be the marquee event. We'll be looking to see if there are signs that the U.S. economy is faltering in the face of an uncertain global macroeconomic picture.

Consumption data on Monday will also provide a snapshot on how the economy is performing. Unlike the previously released retail sales data, this number is inflation adjusted, which Morningstar's Bob Johnson sees as crucial given the downward pressure we've seen in goods prices recently.

Other data this week will include the ISM manufacturing and service indexes, fourth-quarter productivity, and auto sales.

Stay tuned to Morningstar for our take on all of these stories throughout the week.

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