July 21, 2025

Markets:

U.S. stock futures moved higher on Monday as investors tracked the latest developments in trade and awaited the start of big tech earnings this week.

Trade was once again in focus as the White House reiterated its position on tariffs. On Sunday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called Aug. 1 the “hard deadline” for countries to start paying tariffs, though he also added that “nothing stops countries from talking to us after Aug. 1.”

The major averages could receive a boost in the week ahead if Alphabet and Tesla — the first of the so-called Magnificent Seven companies set to report — manage to beat estimates. The megacaps are expected to be a major driver of earnings growth during the second-quarter earnings season. FactSet’s John Butters expects the Magnificent Seven will post earnings growth of 14% in the second quarter, while the other 493 S&P 500 companies are seen posting growth of just 3.4%.

On the economic front, the June reading for leading indicators, which are predictive metrics for the overall market and economy, is scheduled for release on Monday at 10 a.m. ET.

Portfolio:

Monster week ahead and we cannot wait.  Earnings on tap this week that will be drivers in this market:  

Wednesday:  GOOG, TSLA. IBM, and NOW
Thursday:   INTC

We enter the week holding setups in SOUN, BTBT, and MSTU.

Key levels on this breakout – the hated rally we kept saying was building back in April – SPY has a great floor now at 622.  

QQQ continues to breakout and now appl, meta, and googl are really firming up and beginning to join in!

Queue is igniting and we will be adding.  Be ready.