As the market concludes its roller-coaster week and President Trump sets out for the first foreign trip of his term, Erin Gibbs, S&P Global portfolio manager, breaks down what key events she is watching for the week ahead.
1. Stocks bounce?
After the major U.S. markets on Wednesday logged their worst session of the year, the , Dow Jones industrial average and Nasdaq Composite all closed the week modestly positive. Gibbs is watching for some potential volatility that could be ushered into the markets.
"After this week's stumble, it is possible that they could bounce back, as investors may look at valuations and see some attractive entry points. But we could also have some more political headlines that could push them down," Gibbs said Friday on CNBC's "Trading Nation."
2. President Trump's trip
Gibbs is keeping an eye on Trump's first foreign trip as president, a voyage that includes visits to Israel, Saudi
"Trump's first trip is very unusual because, typically, presidents don't do such a long marathon, hitting five cities. We could see some added market volatility if there are any political missteps," Gibbs said.
3. Retail earnings on tap
Retail stocks have struggled this year, and Gibbs is watching quarterly earnings set for next week.
"We've got some big names next week, high-end and low-end; Tiffany's, down to Big Lots, as well as Lowe's. We'll see if next week wraps up Q1 earnings season on a high point," Gibbs said.
Tiffany's is set to report quarterly results next Wednesday before the opening bell, and analysts are expecting earnings of 70 cents per share, according to FactSet data. Lowe's is set to report the same morning before the market's open, and analysts are expecting earnings of $1.06 per share.
Meanwhile, Big Lots is expected to report quarterly earnings next Friday before the opening bell, and analysts are forecasting earnings of 99 cents per share.
The XRT, a popular exchange-traded fund that tracks retail stocks, has fallen 7 percent year to date.
