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PepsiCo Q2 2026 Revenue Beats at $24.18B, Up 6.4% — EPS Misses by $0.01 as North American Food and Beverage Volume Slumps

PepsiCo reported Q2 2026 revenue of $24.18 billion, up 6.4% year-over-year and above the $23.95 billion consensus, while adjusted EPS of $2.20 missed the $2.21 estimate by one cent. Organic revenue grew 2.4%, with international divisions driving gains while North American food and beverage volumes underperformed. The stock was down roughly 0.7% in premarket trading. Full-year guidance was not revised. Delta Air Lines reports Q2 results on Friday, keeping travel-sector earnings in focus.

Kroger Acquires Giant Eagle for $1.65 Billion — 197 Stores Across 5 States Expand Midwest Grocery Footprint

Kroger announced a definitive agreement to acquire Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion, comprising $1.25 billion in cash and roughly $400 million in assumed liabilities, adding 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies across Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Indiana. The deal, which carries Giant Eagle's roughly $9 billion in annual sales, is expected to close in 2027. Kroger plans to finance the acquisition with cash while maintaining its $2 billion share repurchase program.

Retail Sales, Warsh Hearing, and Expiring Ceasefire: The Three Macro Events That Will Define This Week's Market Direction

Beyond the earnings deluge, three macro catalysts will determine whether the stock market's historic April rally can hold or unravel this week: Tuesday's retail sales data for March, expected at plus 1.4% month-over-month and closely watched as a consumer health indicator; Kevin Warsh's Fed chair confirmation hearing also Tuesday; and the Wednesday expiration of the US-Iran ceasefire, which now appears at serious risk of collapse following the weekend ship seizure and Hormuz re-closure.

Weekly Jobless Claims Rise to 219,000, Signaling Early Labor Market Softening

The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims rose by 16,000 in the week ending April 4, reaching 219,000 — above analyst expectations — while the four-week moving average ticked higher, offering early evidence that the energy-driven economic disruption may be beginning to filter into the labor market.

S&P 500 Posts Slim Q1 2026 Gain as Tariff Uncertainty and Fed Patience Cap Upside

The S&P 500 closed out Q1 2026 with a modest gain of approximately 2.1%, masking a turbulent quarter defined by persistent tariff escalation, a hawkish-leaning Federal Reserve, and wide sector-level dispersion. Technology and financials led, while consumer discretionary and materials lagged on trade policy headwinds. The quarter ends with investors cautiously positioned ahead of what promises to be a pivotal Q1 earnings season.

Powell Shocks Markets With Hawkish Peterson Institute Speech — Rate Hike Odds Surge to 68%

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivered a sharply hawkish address at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, signaling the Fed retains all tools to combat inflation. Rate hike odds for October surged to 68 percent as the S&P 500 fell 1.4 percent and 2-year Treasury yields jumped 18 basis points to 4.92 percent.

Consumer Confidence Hits Lowest Since 2020 as Inflation Expectations Surge; Recession Watch Intensifies

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply to 88.3 in March, its lowest reading since the pandemic lows of 2020, as one-year inflation expectations jumped to 5.8% — the highest since 2022 — in a combination that is forcing economists to sharply revise their recession probability models and raising fresh questions about the durability of U.S. consumer spending.

Powell Speech Preview: Markets Brace for Wednesday's Peterson Institute Address as Rate Hike Odds Hit 55%

With rate hike odds for October climbing to 55% following Tuesday's dire consumer confidence data, all eyes are turning to Fed Chair Jerome Powell's Wednesday address at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, where markets are hoping for clarity on whether the Fed will tolerate a growth slowdown to anchor inflation expectations or signal any willingness to pause its hawkish stance.

Goldman Sachs Slashes S&P 500 Year-End Target to 5,800, Raises U.S. Recession Probability to 40%

Goldman Sachs released a sweeping bearish revision to its U.S. equity outlook on Sunday, cutting its year-end S&P 500 target from 6,500 to 5,800 and raising its 12-month recession probability to 40%, citing a historically rare confluence of stagflationary macro forces, geopolitical tail risk, and Federal Reserve policy error, sending S&P 500 futures sharply lower in Sunday evening trading.