4 Economic Events That Could Affect Your Portfolio This Week, August 11-15, 2025

Business Insider

4 hours ago

Stocks rebounded on Friday, closing the week firmly in the green – the market's third winning week out of the last four. The S&P 500 (SPX) rallied for its strongest week since late June, closing on the brink of a record after gaining 2.43%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) finished the week up 1.35%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) surged by 3.73%, reaching a new record.
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After the prior week's pull‑back, investors bought the dip again, demonstrating conviction in the rally's viability – grounded in solid fundamentals. Around 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported Q2 earnings, with 81% beating expectations – the best since Q3 2023. In tech, more than 90% have exceeded forecasts. These strong results have prompted analysts to lift Q3 earnings expectations.
Despite ongoing tariff-related and broader macro uncertainties, the U.S. corporate sector remains resilient – with expectations that this strength will persist, assuming the economy holds. Companies' managements and boards are reflecting that confidence through share repurchases. In July alone, U.S. companies announced a record $166 billion in stock buybacks – the highest for any July on record, and year-to-date repurchases now total nearly $926 billion, exceeding the previous record. IPO activity is also robust – as of August 5, 2025, there have been 202 IPOs in the U.S., up 80% over the same period last year.
The average effective U.S. tariff rate is at its highest level since the Great Depression – yet today's economy and corporate sector are far more advanced and adaptive. Tariffs have already nudged prices upward, and a short-term inflation bump is expected throughout this year and next. Still, the U.S. economy – dynamic and resilient – is adjusting. Companies are shifting supply chains, and because tariffs were announced ahead of time, they had ample time to prepare. Some sectors may even benefit from increased domestic investment and reshoring. On the household front, while tariffs could dent purchasing power via higher prices, the impact should be limited and temporary, not a sustained driver of inflation. Future trade agreements are expected to ease tensions and help contain inflation and growth risks.
Last week's rally underscores U.S. resilience — stocks advanced even as Trump's tariff rollout accelerated. In fact, some signs of economic softness may have aided the rally, by heightening odds of a 0.25% rate cut in September. With valuations rich but still not technically overbought, a rate cut could inject fresh momentum heading into the Q3 earnings season. Nevertheless, analysts broadly agree that the path ahead may remain choppy, with trade, macro, and geopolitical developments likely to test investor resolve.
Four Economic Events
Here are four key economic events that could affect your portfolio this week. For a full listing of additional economic reports, check out the TipRanks Economic Calendar.
» July CPI and CPI ex. Food and Energy (Core CPI) – Tuesday, 08/12 – The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is one of the two key measures of inflation (the other being the Personal Consumption Expenditures index, or PCE). Policymakers, businesses, and consumers closely monitor the CPI report, as it reflects price trends across the economy, shapes consumer spending and business sentiment, and directly influences the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions.
» July Producer Price Index (PPI) and PPI ex. Food and Energy – Thursday, 08/14 – This report reflects input costs for producers and manufacturers. Since the PPI measures the cost of producing consumer goods – which ultimately affects retail prices – it is viewed as a leading indicator of inflationary pressures. As such, it often foreshadows the following month's CPI and plays a critical role in shaping inflation expectations among policymakers.
» July Retail Sales – Friday, 08/15 – This report indicates how much consumers are spending on durable and non-durable goods. Retail Sales is a leading indicator of economic health, offering insight into the current quarter's economic growth and the inflationary pressures stemming from consumer demand.
» August Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index and UoM 5-year Consumer Inflation Expectations (preliminary readings) – Friday, 08/15 – These reports summarize the findings of a monthly survey measuring consumer confidence and long-term inflation expectations in the U.S. Consumer confidence directly affects spending, which accounts for roughly 70% of U.S. GDP. The inflation expectations component is also factored into the Federal Reserve's Index of Inflation Expectations.