S&P 500 Opens Higher as Earnings Season and Fed Outlook Drive Markets
As seen on the 24/7 Wall St. homepage on August 3, 2026.
- S&P 500+0.91%
- Dow Jones Industrial Average—
- Nasdaq Composite—
Stocks start the week with a fresh gap higher as earnings season heats up and investors hunt for clues on the Fed's rate path.
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The S&P 500 added 68 points, or 0.91%, at Monday's open, pushing the index to 7,557.88. The move extends a pattern of choppy but generally resilient trading visible over recent weeks, with the index recovering from a dip toward 7,316 seen in the prior stretch before clawing back above 7,500.
Two forces are setting the tone for investors this week: the acceleration of earnings season and ongoing speculation about where the Federal Reserve will take interest rates. Corporate results give traders fresh data to test whether profit growth can justify current valuations, while any commentary from executives about consumer demand or borrowing costs can quickly shift the mood around the Fed's next move.
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The opening gap higher suggests buyers were willing to step in at the start of the session rather than wait for more information, though a single open-bell reading says little about where the day or the week will ultimately settle.