Monday
It will be more than just one small step for MannKind (Nasdaq: MNKD) on Monday. The drugmaker behind Afrezza -- a potentially huge inhaled insulin -- is expected to report a smaller quarterly deficit than it did a year ago. However, shareholders will be more interested in the future and any guidance provided on MannKind's potential blockbuster treatment.

Tuesday
Natural gas will be in the air come Tuesday, as Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) and Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) report quarterly financials. Both companies are expected to post modest bottom-line growth. 

Wednesday
Sirius XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) rushes the stage Wednesday. The satellite radio provider has come through with several quarters of subscriber growth and breakeven results. Analysts expect more of the same this time around.

AOL (NYSE: AOL) also reports Wednesday, ideally shedding light on what it plans to do to grow its online presence as its access business continues to fade.

Thursday
Sequenom (Nasdaq: SQNM) checks in Thursday. The genomic science specialist is one of the most heavily shorted stocks relative to the number of shares outstanding, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. If Sequenom comes through with a better-than-expected report, bears scrambling to close out their short positions could send the stock sharply higher. 

Friday
The first trading week of August ends with Dynegy (NYSE: DYN) on the clock. Wall Street is braced for a larger second-quarter loss out of the electric energy provider than it rang up a year earlier.

Until next week, I remain,
Rick Munarriz