Quick overview
- Investors are closely watching Accenture, Nike, and Micron Technology as they prepare to release quarterly earnings this week.
- Accenture’s results will provide insights into business technology spending, while Nike’s will reveal consumer demand trends.
- Micron’s earnings are particularly significant as they may influence the broader semiconductor market and reflect the impact of AI investments.
- Market expectations for Micron’s revenue and EPS are already high, making strong guidance crucial for investor sentiment.
Investors will focus on Accenture, Nike and Micron Technology this week as the three major companies prepare to release their latest quarterly results.
This week’s earnings calendar brings three different corporate themes into focus. Accenture offers a read on business technology spending, Nike provides insight into global consumer demand, while Micron Technology gives investors another important look at the semiconductor and data-center cycle.
Micron is likely to attract particular attention because its results can influence sentiment beyond the company itself. Meanwhile, Nike and Accenture will provide additional clues about the strength of corporate and consumer spending heading into the final months of 2026.
Micron’s earnings are being watched as a bellwether for the memory semiconductor cycle, as they offer a read on whether the AI investment boom is translating into actual results. The company’s guidance for the current quarter calls for revenue of $50.4 billion to $51 billion and earnings per share (EPS) of $31.2 to $31.4.
However, market expectations already exceed the top end of the company’s guidance. Revenue expectations have climbed to around $52 billion, with EPS estimates in the $32.5 to $33 range. The key questions are whether next quarter’s revenue outlook surpasses the market consensus of $56.9 billion, and whether the company can sustain its gross margin of 86%.
Lee Kyung-min said, “This is the starting point for gauging the semiconductor cycle and earnings,” adding that “market expectations are already near the top end of the company’s guidance, so results that exceed those levels are needed.” He added, “For Korean semiconductors, this is likely to be an event that confirms the floor for earnings expectations,” and noted that “attention is on whether it can serve as a trigger for a new rally.”
Earnings Calendar Highlights This Week
Accenture (ACN)
- Event: Q4 2026 earnings announcement
- Timing: Before market open (BMO)
- Expected EPS: $3.18
Accenture will be the first major name to report, with investors watching revenue growth, margins and corporate technology spending. The results could provide insight into demand for consulting and digital transformation services as companies remain cautious about discretionary spending. Investors will also focus on management’s outlook for the next quarter and full fiscal year.
Nike (NKE)
- Event: Q1 2027 earnings announcement
- Timing: After market close (AMC)
- Expected EPS: $0.44
Nike’s results will be closely watched for signs of improvement in sales, margins and consumer demand. Investors are likely to focus on North American performance, China, inventory levels and the company’s ability to rebuild momentum in its core footwear and apparel businesses. Guidance will be particularly important as markets assess whether Nike’s recovery is gaining traction or remains dependent on further cost controls and product momentum.
Micron Technology (MU)
- Event: Q4 2026 earnings announcement
- Timing: After market close (AMC)
- Expected EPS: $31.59
Micron will be one of the most closely watched reports of the week because of its exposure to memory-chip demand and data-center infrastructure spending. Investors will focus on DRAM and NAND pricing, demand from data centers, high-bandwidth memory and the company’s expectations for the next quarter. Micron’s guidance could also influence sentiment across the broader semiconductor sector, particularly if management provides stronger or weaker expectations for memory pricing and capacity demand. With Micron trading around historically elevated levels, investors may pay particular attention to whether earnings growth and forward guidance justify the current valuation.
What Investors Should Watch
Accenture: Technology and consulting demand, margins and forward guidance.
Nike: Consumer spending, China, North America, inventories and margins.
Micron: Memory pricing, HBM demand, data-center growth and capital expenditure.
- Market reaction: Strong earnings may not automatically translate into share-price gains if expectations are already elevated.
- Guidance: Forward outlook could prove more important than the headline quarterly numbers, particularly for Micron and Nike.
Forex Signals Update
Gold Capped by the 20 SMA
Gold prices experienced a volatile trading week, ultimately finishing significantly lower after an initially strong rally lost momentum. The precious metal climbed above $4,300 early in the week but later reversed sharply, ending nearly $100 below its recent highs as investors reassessed the outlook for interest rates and global risk sentiment.
The decline was largely driven by a stronger U.S. dollar, rising Treasury yields, and reduced demand for defensive assets following positive geopolitical developments in the Middle East. Despite the weakness, gold remains above the critical $4,000 support zone, which continues to define the longer-term bullish trend but it is under attack.
MAs Hold as Support for USD/JPY
Foreign exchange markets saw sharp swings. Early in the week, U.S. yield differentials and Japanese capital outflows pushed the dollar above ¥150, but disappointing U.S. jobs data triggered profit-taking, causing the USD/JPY to slide by four yen from its peak. However, the new BOJ governor the JPY has weakened and USD/JPY soared to 154 and we decided to close our buy signal for more than 80 pips as the pair found support at the 20 daily SMA (gray) and has rebounded more than 200 pips off that MA but reversed after the 25 bps rate cut from the FED. The price climbed to $164 but reversed after the BOJ meeting and fell 7 cents, breaking below the 100 daily SMA (red) as well, which has been acting as support before.
USD/JPY – Daily Chart
Cryptocurrency Update
Bitcoin Faces the 100 SMA as Resistance
Cryptocurrencies remained highly active over the summer. Bitcoin (BTC) climbed to fresh highs of $123,000 and $124,000 in July and August, supported by institutional inflows and technical strength. However, remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruling out U.S. increases to BTC reserves triggered a steep pullback, sending the coin down to $80K before finding support at the 100 weekly SMA (green) which might turn into resistance at 90K now, after the rebound.
BTC/USD – Daily Chart
Ethereum Returns Above $2,000
Ethereum (ETH) has been similarly strong, surging toward $4,800, its highest since 2021 and near its all-time peak of $4,860. Despite a dip last week, ETH found support at the 20-day SMA, with retail enthusiasm and renewed institutional participation driving fresh upside momentum. Last week we saw a dive below $2,000 but buyers returned and pushed the price above $2K again.
ETH/USD – Weekly Chart
Skerdian Meta
Lead Analyst
Skerdian Meta Lead Analyst.
Skerdian is a professional Forex trader and a market analyst. He has been actively engaged in market analysis for the past 11 years. Before becoming our head analyst, Skerdian served as a trader and market analyst in Saxo Bank’s local branch, Aksioner. Skerdian specialized in experimenting with developing models and hands-on trading. Skerdian has a masters degree in finance and investment.
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