Week Ahead: Big Bank Results Usher in Earnings Season

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 Jan. 11.

After a volatile few days, investor attention will turn to fourth-quarter earnings season, which kicks off later this week.

First up will be the large banks, including JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, which report on Thursday and Friday.

Recent results from these firms have shown that they have put the financial crisis behind them but are still grappling with headwinds from seemingly permanently elevated legal costs, a continued low-rate environment, and volatile markets.

We'll also get an update from Intel on Thursday. The firm has had solid results recently, but concerns over lower guidance for its data center group, weakness in PC sales, and cuts to the capital expenditure budget have weighed on the company.

Retail sales data on Friday will be the marquee economic report. November's headline number was below expectations, but Morningstar's Bob Johnson says that once you strip out the impact of low gas prices and auto sales, retail sales remain stable. Because this report is not adjusted for inflation and due to some other factors, it is important not to read too much into any one month-to-month reading.

This week will also feature the release of the Fed's beige book, industrial production numbers, and a consumer sentiment reading.

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