Summer is often a volatile time for the market, as vacationing professionals and ordinary investors alike produce lower trading volume that can amplify reactions to news. This morning, reports that retail sales dropped 0.5% stunned analysts who were expecting a modest gain. But the real news behind the drop may come from the just-started earnings season, during which a rash of warnings has made investors anxious about the current economic environment. At around 10:45 a.m. EDT, the Dow Jones Industrials
The Dow will contribute to earnings fever this week, with a bunch of its component companies reporting. Coca-Cola
Johnson & Johnson
Finally, JPMorgan Chase
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