Stock Market Week Ahead · November 2–6, 2026
What to watch in the stock market this week.
Last week SPY fell 0.6% and QQQ fell 2.0% while IWM gained 1.3%, through a Fed hold, split Big Tech reactions and Intel’s 28.6% drop on Friday. This week brings Apple and Palantir on Monday, the midterm elections and AMD on Tuesday, and Arm and Qualcomm on Wednesday. The October jobs report lands Friday at 8:30 am ET (5:30 pm Dubai).
By Konsta · Published October 31, 2026
Last week
Stock market weekly recap: October 26–30
- SPY · S&P 500
- $755.72−0.6%
- QQQ · Nasdaq 100
- $690.49−2.0%
- IWM · Russell 2000
- $279.33+1.3%
Weekly change, Friday Oct 23 close to Friday Oct 30 close. Index ETF and stock closes from Nasdaq.com historical data.
The Fed held, with two votes for a hike. On October 28 the Fed kept its target range at 3.75%–4.00% in a 10–2 vote; Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack preferred a quarter-point increase. The statement said activity is expanding “at a strong pace” and inflation “remains elevated.” SPY closed that day at $772.31, its highest close of the week.
Big Tech: strong cloud, heavy spending, split reactions. Microsoft (Oct 28) reported Azure up 48% and closed 0.2% lower on Oct 29. Alphabet (Oct 28) reported Cloud up 103%, but EPS of $2.12 included an $8.7 billion loss on equity securities and free cash flow was −$9.1 billion; it closed 12.6% lower on Oct 29. Amazon (Oct 29) reported AWS up 39% with $77.3 billion of quarterly property and equipment purchases, and closed 1.4% lower on Oct 30.
GDP and PCE on October 29. The BEA’s advance estimate put third-quarter real GDP growth at a 3.4% annual rate. September PCE prices rose 0.5% on the month and 3.6% on the year; core PCE rose 0.3% and 3.1%.
Intel and Friday’s decline. Intel closed 28.6% lower on October 30, after guiding fourth-quarter revenue to $15–16 billion and saying it sees the PC slowdown lasting at least through the first half of next year. That day SPY lost 1.8%, QQQ 3.5% and IWM 1.6%. SPY and QQQ finished below their October 23 closes; IWM finished above its own.
Employment costs on October 30. The BLS said compensation costs for civilian workers rose 0.8% in the third quarter and 3.4% over 12 months. Wages and salaries rose 3.1% over the year and benefits 3.9%.
Economic calendar this week
The dates that move markets.
Times are US Eastern, with Dubai in brackets. Senntric alerts you and reads scheduled data releases aloud the moment they print.
Monday, Nov 2
2:00 pm ET (11:00 pm Dubai)
Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey
The Fed’s survey of bank lending standards and loan demand. Source: Federal Reserve.
Monday, Nov 2
3:00 pm ET (12:00 am Tue Dubai)
Treasury marketable borrowing estimates
Treasury’s updated borrowing estimates. Treasury lists the date; 3:00 pm is the slot it used in August. Source: Treasury.
Tuesday, Nov 3
All day
US midterm elections
Results usually arrive overnight into Wednesday; control of Congress can move sectors tied to policy. The NYSE lists no holiday. Source: FEC, NYSE.
Tuesday, Nov 3
10:00 am ET (7:00 pm Dubai)
Job openings (JOLTS), September
Labor demand ahead of Friday’s jobs report. Source: BLS.
Wednesday, Nov 4
8:30 am ET (5:30 pm Dubai)
US international trade, September
The goods and services trade balance. Source: BEA.
Wednesday, Nov 4
8:30 am ET (5:30 pm Dubai)
Treasury quarterly refunding statement
Auction sizes and buyback plans. Treasury lists the date; 8:30 am is the slot it used in August. Source: Treasury.
Thursday, Nov 5
8:30 am ET (5:30 pm Dubai)
Productivity and costs, Q3 (preliminary)
Unit labor costs, watched for wage-driven inflation. Source: BLS.
Friday, Nov 6
8:30 am ET (5:30 pm Dubai)
Employment situation (jobs report), October
Payrolls, unemployment rate and average hourly earnings. Source: BLS.
Earnings this week
Who reports, and when.
| Day | Before the open | After the close |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, Nov 2 |
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| Tuesday, Nov 3 |
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| Wednesday, Nov 4 |
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| Thursday, Nov 5 |
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| Friday, Nov 6 |
| — |
Dates and timing from Nasdaq’s earnings calendar, rechecked on October 31, 2026. DoorDash is from its own announcement, because Nasdaq’s calendar did not list it. Apple, Palantir, Shopify, AMD, Arista, Uber, Arm and Qualcomm dates also match company announcements; companies can move their dates, so check the calendar on the day.
Why stocks can fall even after beating estimates: guidance, expectations and the reaction window.
- Spot
- $755.72
- Put wall
- 767
- Call wall
- 770
- Magnet
- 770
- Regime
- Acceleration (negative net gamma)
Senntric GEX, 1–7 day expirations (Nov 2–6). Snapshot stamped 4:14:59 pm ET on October 30, after the close.
SPY closed the week below both of its nearest walls in a negative-gamma regime: the largest put-side gamma strike is 767, and 770 is both the call wall and the magnet. A move back above 767 or a regime change out of acceleration would change that read, and 750, the largest net-negative strike, is the reference below spot. This snapshot predates the week’s expirations, so check the live levels before trading.
What to watch
4 questions for the week.
How do markets trade the midterm results?
Results usually land overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. A surprise in the balance of Congress can move rate-sensitive and policy-exposed sectors at Wednesday’s open.
Do AMD, Arm and Qualcomm carry the AI trade?
After Big Tech’s capex updates, chip results Tuesday and Wednesday show whether that spending is reaching suppliers.
Does Friday’s jobs report change the rate path?
October payrolls and wages are the first jobs report after the Fed’s October 28 hold, which drew two votes for a hike.
Does SPY get back above the 767 put wall?
SPY closed at $755.72, below the 767 put wall and the 770 call wall, in an acceleration regime. In that regime hedging can extend a move, so what matters is whether spot reclaims 767 or stays under it, with 750, the largest net-negative strike, below.
US clock change: Sunday, November 1
US daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, so from Monday, November 2, the 9:30 am ET open is 2:30 pm in London. In the Gulf the open is an hour later than it was, at 5:30 pm in Riyadh and 6:30 pm in Dubai.
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The economic calendar, earnings and key levels for the week, before Monday’s open.
This week’s questions
Stock market this week FAQ
When is the jobs report this week?
The October employment situation report is released on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 8:30 am ET (5:30 pm in Dubai) by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
When are the US midterm elections?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. It is not an NYSE holiday, so the stock market is open as normal; results usually arrive overnight and into Wednesday.
When do Apple, Palantir, AMD and Arm report earnings?
Apple’s fiscal fourth-quarter results call is on Monday, November 2, at 5:00 pm ET (2:00 am Tuesday in Dubai). Palantir reports after the close on Monday, November 2, AMD after the close on Tuesday, November 3, and Arm after the close on Wednesday, November 4; each company has announced its date.
What time does the US market open in Saudi Arabia after the clock change?
From November 2 the US market opens at 5:30 pm Saudi time (6:30 pm in the UAE) and closes at midnight Saudi time.
Trade the week with context
Every release and earnings print, the moment it lands.
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