What to Expect in Markets This Week: Investors Watching Developments in Iran, Awaiting Jobs Report, Other Economic Data, Earnings Reports

Geopolitical Developments - The U.S. and Israel conducted a joint military strike on Iran, leading to increased geopolitical uncertainty for investors [1] - Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and Gulf nations, which may impact market sentiment in the coming days [1] Labor Market Insights - The jobs report for February is anticipated after strong job gains in January, where U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs, exceeding economists' forecasts [1] - The report also included downward revisions to previous months' job data, indicating weaker hiring in 2025 [1] - Investors are also looking forward to the private-sector ADP jobs report scheduled for release on Wednesday [1] Economic Data Releases - Retail sales data for January is expected this week, following a stall in December, attributed to weak labor market growth [1] - The Federal Reserve's Beige Book will provide insights into economic conditions ahead of the central bank's meeting on March 17-18 [1] Corporate Earnings Reports - Apple is set to launch new products, including the iPhone 17 and a lower-cost MacBook, starting Monday [1] - Broadcom is scheduled to release its quarterly results, with projections of doubling AI-related revenue [1] - CrowdStrike, Marvell Technology, and several prominent retailers like Target and Costco are also reporting earnings this week [1] Key Events Calendar - March 2: Apple product launches and earnings from EchoStar and MongoDB [1] - March 3: Earnings from CrowdStrike, Target, and Best Buy, along with Federal Reserve officials speaking [1] - March 4: Earnings from Broadcom and Veeva Systems, along with key economic data releases [1] - March 5: Earnings from Costco and Marvell Technology, with additional economic data [1] - March 6: Earnings from Genesco and the U.S. employment report for February [1]