Stocks head into August with a tailwind | Guide to ESG investing | Cathie Wood's Friday buy

Big economic reports could become important catalysts now that the Federal Reserve has indicated it is going to rely on data for its decision on how much to raise interest rates in September. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the labor market remains strong, and investors worried about an economic slowdown will be carefully watching to see how strong job creation remains. There are 250,000 jobs expected.

VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE SAT, JUL 30, 2022 WEEKEND BRIEF EDITOR'S NOTE Stocks enter the typically volatile month of August with a tailwind.   There are dozens of earnings reports in the week ahead, with more than 20% of the S&P 500 companies reporting. There is also key data, with Friday's July jobs report the most important.   Big economic reports could become important catalysts now that the Federal Reserve has indicated it is going to rely on data for its decision on how much to raise interest rates in September. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the labor market remains strong, and investors worried about an economic slowdown will be carefully watching to see how strong job creation remains. There are 250,000 jobs expected.   According to CFRA, since 1995 the S&P 500 has averaged a 0.5% decline in August. Strategists say earnings could remain a positive force.   "A lot of this is better than feared. If that process continues, it's likely to help the market grind higher. The market seems to be sitting on this notion that we had priced in Armageddon and thus far, that has not been thrust upon us," said one strategist. Patti Domm | CNBC Markets Editor @pattidomm THE WEEK AHEAD Stocks head into August with a tailwind, as investors await jobs data and a slew of earnings ACTIVIST SPOTLIGHT Activist Elliott snaps up an interest in PayPal. This is what could be next for the payments giant YOUR WEEKEND BRIEFING  Want to invest your conscience? Here's how to pick an ESG fund that matches your values and financial goals Cathie Wood says growth stocks will outperform as bear market ends, adds to streaming play Friday AMD passes Intel in market cap In a tumultuous earnings season, analysts say these stocks stand out Elon Musk countersues Twitter over merger, but details aren't yet public Best trades on CNBC Friday: Amazon soars, capping off a mixed week for Big Tech earnings Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy © 2022 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBCUniversal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS