Week Ahead: Microsoft, Alphabet Highlight Busy Earnings Week

Jeremy Glaser: Welcome to The Week Ahead. Earnings from a wide variety of industries will be rolling in all week.

In technology, Microsoft and Google-parent Alphabet will be the marquee names. Both firms have reported upbeat results recently as the former's cloud business keeps growing while the latter has had continued ad-revenue success.

Intel is also set to report, along with telecom and media giants Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast. 3M, Caterpillar, Boeing, and Ford will give us a snapshot of the manufacturing and industrial sectors. We'll also see if McDonald’s turnaround is on track and get an update from Starbucks this week.

Rounding out the reports are pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson and Biogen and oil giant Chevron.

The major data release in the week is the advanced reading of fourth-quarter GDP. There is also some housing data, durable goods orders, and a look at consumer sentiment.

Stay tuned to Morningstar for our take on these stories.