The stock market this week has a lot to absorb in five days. Apple reports on Monday, Americans vote in the midterms on Tuesday, AMD and Qualcomm follow, and the October jobs report lands on Friday. All of it comes right after a rough Friday, when a sell-off in tech shares pushed the Nasdaq Composite down 2.86%.
Key facts (as of November 2, 2026)
- On Friday, October 30, the Nasdaq Composite lost 2.86% while the S&P 500 dropped 1.82%, each its worst day since June, Stock Titan reported, citing CNN.
- The Federal Reserve held its target range at 3.75% to 4.00% on October 28, with two officials voting for a hike, according to TradingKey.
- The October jobs report is due Friday, November 6, at 8:30 a.m. ET (1:30 p.m. in London).
Why did stocks fall at the end of October?
Weak company forecasts and new doubts about AI spending hit big tech at once. The Dow lost only about 1.1% on Friday, against 2.86% for the tech-heavy Nasdaq, according to Stock Titan’s market wrap. So the damage was concentrated in tech rather than spread across the whole market.
Two single-stock moves did much of the harm. Intel closed down 28.58%, its worst day since 1974, after guiding fourth-quarter revenue to $15 billion to $16 billion. Analysts polled by LSEG had expected about $17.1 billion, Stock Titan noted. Reddit fell by a similar amount on a soft outlook. Earlier in the week, Alphabet shares also dropped as investors questioned how much cash the AI build-out will keep eating.
In other words, the market is no longer rewarding AI spending on faith. It wants proof that the money turns into profit. That question hangs over almost every big report due in the days ahead.
What is on the stock market calendar this week?
Earnings, economic data and an election all land between Monday and Friday. Here is the schedule, built from company announcements listed by Stock Titan and TradingKey. Times are US Eastern; from this week, London is five hours ahead and Paris or Berlin six hours ahead.
| Day | Economic data (ET) | Main earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 2 | ISM manufacturing, 10:00 a.m. | Apple and Palantir after the close |
| Tue, Nov 3 | Job openings (JOLTS), 10:00 a.m.; midterm elections | Shopify and Pfizer before the open; AMD, Arista and Booking after the close |
| Wed, Nov 4 | Trade balance, 8:30 a.m.; ISM services, 10:00 a.m. | Uber, McDonald’s and Novo Nordisk before the open; Qualcomm, Arm and AppLovin after |
| Thu, Nov 5 | Productivity and labor costs, 8:30 a.m. | ConocoPhillips before the open; Airbnb and Cloudflare after |
| Fri, Nov 6 | October jobs report, 8:30 a.m. | Moderna and Humana |
What will investors look for from Apple and AMD?
Both companies have already told investors what to expect, so the test is whether they beat their own targets. Apple guided for fiscal fourth-quarter revenue growth of 9% to 11% from a year earlier, with a gross margin of 47% to 48%, TradingKey noted. Its call starts at 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, which is 10:00 p.m. in London. Apple has since reported, and our breakdown of its September-quarter results explains why the shares fell despite the beat.
AMD reports on election day, with its call at 5:00 p.m. ET. TradingKey expects the focus to fall on data-center sales and demand for its Instinct AI accelerators. After Intel’s slump, traders will listen closely to anything AMD says about AI chip orders.
How could the midterms move the stock market this week?
Results start arriving Tuesday night, while US markets are closed, so the first reaction shows up in futures and then in Wednesday’s open. Investors mostly care about one question: will Congress end up split, or will one party hold both chambers? A split usually means fewer big policy changes.
We look at history, sectors and the European angle in our explainer on how the US midterms could affect markets. For the latest odds, see the 2026 midterm election forecast, which we update daily.
Why does Friday’s jobs report matter so much?
It is the next big clue for the Fed’s December meeting. The central bank held rates steady on October 28 in a 10-2 vote, with Governor Lisa Cook and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack voting for a hike, investingLive reported. Markets had priced only a small chance of an October move, which shows how divided the outlook has become.
So a hot jobs number could revive talk of a hike. A weak one, on the other hand, would ease that pressure but raise worries about growth. Either way, expect big moves at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday. Our preview of Friday’s payrolls numbers compares the latest forecasts side by side.
How can you follow the markets live?
Financial news channels cover the opening bell, earnings calls and the jobs report as they happen. Our guides explain the official ways to watch the CNBC live stream, Bloomberg TV and Fox Business, including options that don’t need cable. For a free option, see our guide to CNBC’s free streaming channel.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development. See what the NewsLive app will offer and join the early-access list.
Frequently asked questions
Is the stock market open on election day?
Yes. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq keep normal hours on Tuesday, November 3. Election day is not a market holiday.
What time is the jobs report in the UK and Europe?
The report comes out at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, November 6. That is 1:30 p.m. in London and 2:30 p.m. in Paris, Berlin and Madrid.
Which earnings could move the stock market this week the most?
Apple on Monday and AMD on Tuesday are the biggest names. Qualcomm and Arm on Wednesday also matter, because chip stocks led last week’s drop.
