Economic Events and Corporate Reports: Tuesday, August 4, 2026 — JOLTS, Reports from Caterpillar, Pfizer, AMD, Toyota, and BP

Tuesday, August 4, 2026, marks the busiest day of the week for corporate events on global financial markets. Investors can anticipate a substantial influx of quarterly earnings reports: before the US markets open, results will be released by Caterpillar, Pfizer, Merck, Spotify, and Marathon Petroleum, while after the market closes, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Amgen, Booking Holdings, and Gilead Sciences will present their results. The international segment is equally significant, featuring reports from British BP, Japanese Toyota, and German BioNTech. The macroeconomic agenda is focused on the US labor market, with the JOLTS report on job openings for June set to be released, serving as a key indicator ahead of Friday's Nonfarm Payrolls report. Additional insights will come from manufacturing orders, the US trade balance, and weekly oil inventory statistics from the API. For the S&P 500, Euro Stoxx 50, Nikkei 225, and Moscow Exchange indices, this day will test the resilience of July’s rally.

Key Events of the Day: A Brief Overview

JOLTS: The number of job openings in the US for June is the main macro release of the day.
US manufacturing orders and durable goods orders for June.
US trade balance for June and weekly retail sales indicators.
Corporate earnings reports from the US: Caterpillar, Pfizer, Merck, AMD, Amgen, Booking, Gilead, Arista Networks, Devon Energy.
International earnings reports: BP (UK), Toyota (Japan), BioNTech (Germany), Coupang (South Korea).
Weekly API data on US oil inventories — an evening indicator for the commodities market.

The US Labor Market: JOLTS Ahead of Friday's Payrolls

At 17:00 Moscow time, the JOLTS report on job openings in the US economy for June will be published. This is the first significant employment indicator during a week that culminates with Friday's July Nonfarm Payroll report. The rationale for investors is straightforward:

A decrease in job openings would confirm a cooling labor market and strengthen expectations for a more dovish Fed policy — positive for bonds and growth stocks.
Unexpectedly strong data, on the other hand, would support treasury yields and the dollar, putting pressure on the tech sector.
The ratio of job openings to the number of unemployed remains a key metric for the Fed regarding the balance of supply and demand in the labor market.

Orders, Trade, and Consumer Demand: US Statistics

Also at 17:00 Moscow time, manufacturing orders and final durable goods orders for June will be released — indicators of investment activity among American companies. In the morning, the US trade balance for June will be published along with preliminary trade data: trends in imports and exports are crucial for assessing the contribution of external trade to GDP in the third quarter. Weekly retail sales indices from ICSC and Redbook will provide additional context regarding the American consumer's state.

The Oil Market: API Inventories and Aftermath of OPEC+

At 23:30 Moscow time, the American Petroleum Institute (API) will release weekly data on oil and petroleum product inventories in the US. The market continues to assess the outcomes of the OPEC+ monitoring committee meeting on Sunday, which confirmed a phased increase in production starting in September. Brent prices above $80 per barrel support stocks in the oil and gas sector — particularly relevant on Tuesday given the reports from BP, Marathon Petroleum, Devon Energy, and Suncor.

Corporate Reports Before the US Market Opens

The morning session is one of the busiest in the second-quarter earnings season:

Caterpillar — a barometer of global industry: consensus estimates suggest earnings of around $6.20 per share (+31% year on year) on revenues of approximately $19.2 billion; focus remains on demand for construction machinery and energy equipment for data centers.
Pfizer and Merck — large pharmaceutical players: dynamics of key drugs, forecasts for the year, and strategies under pricing pressure in the US.
Spotify — growth in subscriber numbers and streaming business margins.
Marathon Petroleum, Energy Transfer, MPLX — refining and midstream segments amid high crack margins.
Duke Energy, Kimberly-Clark, Sysco, Archer-Daniels-Midland, TransDigm, Cummins, Rockwell Automation, DuPont, Apollo Global — a broad slice of defensive and industrial sectors within the S&P 500.

Reports After the Market Closes: AMD in the Spotlight

The evening session will focus on technology and healthcare:

Advanced Micro Devices — the key report of the day: the market anticipates earnings of around $1.61 per share with revenues of about $11.3 billion (+47% year on year); the critical question involves the sales tempo of MI350 accelerators for AI data centers and guidance on the new MI450 chips.
Amgen and Gilead Sciences — the continuation of the day's pharmaceutical marathon.
Booking Holdings — a barometer of global tourism demand during the height of summer.
Arista Networks — network equipment for AI infrastructure, a beneficiary of hyper-scaleers' capital expenditure.
Devon Energy, Suncor, Coterra — focus on the oil and gas segment of the evening.
Pinterest, Match Group, Lucid, Upstart, Wynn Resorts, Toast — volatile stories from consumer and technology sectors.

Europe and Asia: BP, Toyota, and BioNTech

The international calendar for Tuesday sets a global tone:

BP — quarterly results from the British major: share buyback volume, production, and cost discipline will shape sentiment in the European oil and gas sector and influence the FTSE 100.
Toyota Motor — report for the first quarter of the 2027 financial year: the impact of US tariffs on margins, hybrid sales, and yen forecasts — a critical event for the Nikkei 225.
BioNTech — the German biotech reports amid a transformation into an oncology company.
Coupang — South Korea's largest e-commerce player, an indicator of Asian consumer demand.
Tower Semiconductor — the Israeli contract chipmaker rounds out the semiconductor agenda.

Russia and the CIS Markets: A Pause Before Midweek

The corporate calendar for the Moscow Exchange on Tuesday is quiet: major events are shifted to the middle and end of the week. Investors should keep an eye on:

The forthcoming reporting of "Rostelecom" according to IFRS for the first half of 2026, expected on August 5;
Operational results from "Mother and Child" (MD Medical) for the second quarter, published earlier in the week;
Upcoming dividend cut-offs at the end of the week, including "Akron" shares;
The dynamics of oil and the rouble following OPEC+ decisions as the main driver for the Moscow Exchange index.

Context for the Week: From JOLTS to Nonfarm Payrolls

Tuesday serves as an interim link in a busy week. Upcoming announcements include the refinancing of US Treasury and ISM Services on Wednesday, a Bank of England meeting on Thursday, and the July US employment report on Friday. Data from JOLTS and corporate forecasts from Tuesday will help shape market positioning prior to these key events, with the dense reporting making the day one of the most volatile for individual S&P 500 stocks.

What Investors Should Focus On August 4, 2026

AMD's Report After the Close — a crucial test for the semiconductor sector following July's correction: forecasts for AI accelerators could set the direction for the entire Nasdaq.
JOLTS Data — the first piece in the puzzle of the US labor market ahead of Friday's Payrolls, and a guideline for expectations regarding Fed rates.
Caterpillar and Cummins — the state of the global industrial cycle and infrastructure demand for AI-driven energy.
Reports from BP and Toyota — the impact of tariffs and commodity dynamics on European and Japanese markets; Toyota’s results are critical for the Nikkei 225.
Pharmaceutical Marathon from Pfizer, Merck, Amgen, Gilead — the healthcare sector under pressure from price regulation: annual forecasts are particularly important.
API Oil Inventories — an evening indicator for Brent and stocks of oil and gas companies, including Russian equities on the Moscow Exchange.

Tuesday, August 4, 2026, combines peak corporate earning density with significant US labor market statistics. Investors should proactively assess risks in semiconductor and pharmaceutical positions, monitor management forecasts as closely as actual figures, and consider that reactions to JOLTS may be heightened with expectations for Friday's employment report.