Retail earnings are set to offer a check of consumer health this week as the second quarter earnings season winds down.
Home Depot's (HD) and Lowe's (LOW) results showed that consumers continued to spend, albeit on smaller projects, as geopolitical concerns and inflation weigh on US households. Target (TGT) also posted another big earnings beat, teeing up Walmart (WMT) results on Thursday.
Overall, earnings season showed remarkable strength. According to FactSet data, second quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies are on pace to rise 50% year over year, the highest growth rate since 2021. Artificial intelligence has been the growth engine of that broad-based earnings growth, Bank of America strategists noted.