After a short but strong Thanksgiving week for U.S. equities, investors face a full slate of fresh data, Fed commentary, and major corporate earnings. Cyber Monday spending, private-sector payrolls, and updates on consumer health will drive market sentiment, while tech giants and major retailers prepare to release their latest results.

Below is a breakdown of the biggest market-moving events to watch.

Consumers Take Center Stage: Cyber Monday & Sentiment Data

This week opens with a spotlight on Cyber Monday, where U.S. shoppers are expected to deliver another massive online shopping haul. Salesforce projects $78 billion in online sales from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday—an important gauge of consumer strength heading into the final month of the year.

More clues about the consumer outlook arrive Friday:

University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index (preliminary)
Federal Reserve’s Consumer Credit Report

Both reports will help investors assess whether shoppers are spending confidently—or leaning more on debt as prices remain elevated.

Meanwhile, the ADP private payrolls report arrives Wednesday, giving an early look at November hiring trends. Investors will still need to wait until Dec. 16 for the delayed government jobs report due to the federal shutdown.

On Monday evening, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will speak publicly, and markets will listen closely for any hints about whether a rate cut is likely at next week’s Fed meeting.

Tech Earnings in Focus: Salesforce, CrowdStrike, Marvell & More

Earnings season isn’t over yet, and several high-profile technology companies are set to report:

📌 Salesforce (CRM) – Wednesday

The software giant could reignite enthusiasm in the AI trade. Salesforce recently issued a strong revenue outlook tied to growing demand for its AI-driven tools.

📌 CrowdStrike (CRWD) – Tuesday

CrowdStrike reports after delivering a standout revenue forecast last quarter. Investors will look for continued strength in cybersecurity spending.

📌 Marvell Technology (MRVL)

As a key supplier of custom semiconductor solutions, Marvell’s results may reflect AI-related demand trends.

📌 MongoDB, Pure Storage, Okta, Snowflake

A wave of cloud, data, and cybersecurity companies will join the earnings lineup, offering insight into enterprise tech spending.

On the consumer side, Dollar Tree and Dollar General will offer a look at how budget-conscious shoppers are behaving amid inflationary pressures.

This Week’s Key Events Calendar

📅 Monday, Dec. 1

Cyber Monday
ISM Manufacturing PMI (Nov)
S&P U.S. Manufacturing PMI (final)
Fed Chair Jerome Powell speaks
Earnings: MongoDB (MDB)

📅 Tuesday, Dec. 2

Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman speaks
Earnings: CrowdStrike (CRWD), Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS), Marvell (MRVL), Pure Storage (PSTG), Okta (OKTA), GitLab (GTLB)

📅 Wednesday, Dec. 3

ADP Private Payrolls (Nov)
Import Price Index (Sept)
ISM Services PMI (Nov)
S&P U.S. Services PMI (final)
Earnings: Salesforce (CRM), Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Snowflake (SNOW), Dollar Tree (DLTR)

📅 Thursday, Dec. 4

Initial Jobless Claims (week ending Nov. 29)
Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman speaks again
Earnings: TD Bank, Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Kroger (KR), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Ulta Beauty (ULTA), Dollar General (DG)

📅 Friday, Dec. 5

Consumer Sentiment Index (Dec — preliminary)
Consumer Credit (Oct)
Earnings: Victoria’s Secret (VSCO)

One More Thing: Holiday Gift Tax Perks

The holiday season is here—and if you’re giving financial gifts to friends and family, you may qualify for a valuable tax break. The IRS allows certain gifts under the annual exclusion limit to be made tax-free. (Always check with a tax professional for your specific situation.)