Investing.com - The third-quarter earnings season continues to pick up momentum this week after strong results from financial heavyweights JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM), Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C), and Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) on Friday hinted at a healthier consumer landscape than economists had anticipated. This comes despite ongoing inflationary concerns and rising living costs.
Federal Reserve's efforts to curb inflation towards its 2% target have had a significant impact on the stock market, more so than on consumer sentiment. Although the beginning of the year saw predictions of an impending recession, current data suggests that the U.S. economy remains robust. This is complemented by a resilient labor market and sustained job growth.
The robust banking earnings results nudged the Dow Jones Industrial Average upwards on Friday, with a modest increase of 39.15 points, or 0.12%. Leading the gains were JPMorgan Chase, which saw a 1.5% rise, and UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH), which gained 2.4% on earnings. However, the S&P 500 Index ended down 21.83 points, or 0.50%, and the NASDAQ Composite declined 166.99 points, or 1.23%.
Two companies to watch in the coming week are Netflix and Tesla.
Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX), which is due to report after the close on Wednesday, October 18, is expected to earn $3.49 per share on revenue of $8.54 billion. Investors are keeping a close eye on the company's crackdown on password sharing, which could boost Q3 revenue and profits. The company's growth initiatives seem to be paying off, making a compelling case for investment in Netflix stock ahead of the week's earnings results.
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is also set to report after the close on Wednesday, October 18. Wall Street expects Tesla to earn 74 cents per share on revenue of $24.16 billion. Despite recent declines in Tesla stock amidst a tech pullback, the company's fundamentals remain strong, with robust free cash flow and a massive cash reserve. Until these fundamentals change, Tesla stock should be owned, not traded.