Markets Await Fed Signals on Rates Amid Inflation and Earnings Data

Markets face a busy week as investors weigh Federal Reserve guidance, inflation and consumer-confidence data, corporate earnings, and oil prices. The Fed is widely expected to hold rates steady, but its comments will be closely watched for clues about the next steps as persistent price pressures and weakening consumer confidence complicate the economic outlook. In the United States, results from major companies and housing and inflation-related reports are also on the calendar; in India, investors will track a slate of corporate earnings, industrial-production data, foreign fund flows and Jio Platforms’ planned stock-market debut. Crude prices and developments in West Asia could further affect inflation, corporate costs and investor sentiment.