"Inflation Data and Earnings: Key Market Events to Watch This Week"

Despite a strong jobs report, stock markets saw weekly losses due to concerns over the Federal Reserve's rate cut path and rising oil prices. The upcoming week will feature a focus on inflation data and the start of first quarter earnings season, with companies like JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, BlackRock, and Citi set to report earnings. There is growing debate about whether the Fed will cut interest rates this year, and the release of the March Consumer Price Index will provide insight into inflation trends. Wall Street expects a 3.5% annual gain for headline CPI, and the first quarter is expected to set the tone for a robust year of earnings growth among S&P 500 companies.