What matters most in this Global Week Ahead?

From a focus on how quickly tech-driven, frothy equity markets unwind, to the impact of the U.S. shutdown, there's plenty to mull over.

And don't forget:

• Mainland China macro data
• U.K, budget speculation, and 
• A U.N. climate change summit in Brazil

Next are Reuters’ Five World Market Themes, Re-ordered for Equity Traders—
 

(1) The U.S. Shutdown May End Soon

The end of the data drought could be big market news in coming days as House Democrats and Republicans appear to be seeking an "off ramp" to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

If an agreement is reached soon to return furloughed federal workers, macro data must still be compiled and rescheduled, meaning a scheduled inflation release on Thursday is unlikely.

The disruption since October 1st has surpassed the record shutdown in Donald Trump's first term as president.

House Democrats would not sign a resolution drafted by majority Republicans to fund the government while negotiations on a 2026 spending bill dragged on because Trump's party excluded an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Even if some Obamacare deal breaks the impasse, which has also obstructed aid to the poor and airport operations, it's unclear whether the Democratic victories in this week's elections will speed or impede an agreement.
 

(2) Mainland China Macro Data to Update Global Investors on a Key Economy

As investors look past an uneasy Sino-U.S. trade truce, at least until things turn sour again, focus returns to domestic data for clues on how China will score on the 2025 economic report card as the year nears a close.

Sunday's consumer and producer price figures are likely to reveal persistent deflationary pressures, as policymakers have refrained from launching a major stimulus to shore up a struggling economy. China's exports unexpectedly fell in October.

House prices and retail sales, among the slew of Friday's data releases, are also unlikely to move the needle on a bleak outlook.

But markets are less sensitive to China's weak run of economic data, with stocks still ripping higher, buoyed by the nation's push for greater technological self-reliance and a modern industrial system.
 

(3) Lots of U.K. Macro Data Lands, Too

U.K. investors are gearing up for a December rate cut from the Bank of England.

But first, there's a forest of data to get through — much of which will be key to BoE decision-making — before finance minister Rachel Reeves reveals her budget on November 26th.

Reeves paved the way for tax rises in a rare pre-budget speech on Tuesday, although she did not indicate whether her plan would break any manifesto pledges.

Sterling is at its weakest since 2023 against the euro and at its lowest since April against the dollar.

The coming week's numbers on consumer prices, wage inflation and economic growth may set the tone for U.K. markets before that key budget, while trade balance numbers may outline how much Trump's tariffs have affected the UK/U.S. "special relationship.”
 

(4) Emerging Markets Stocks Up; U.S. President Taken in Stride

Nigeria joined a list of emerging nations in Trump's crosshairs after the U.S. president threatened military action if the West African oil producer doesn't do more to protect its Christians.

Investors barely registered the threat, and days later, a Nigerian bond sale was oversubscribed.

A pattern of Trump threats over trade or other perceived failures followed by a modest market reaction has played out in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and South Africa.

Trump's aid cuts have hurt vulnerable economies and his trade policy puts hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk in exporting nations.

But investors' risk-on mood, lower global borrowing costs, a softer dollar and positive local growth and reform stories suggest a strong anti-Trump buffer is in place. Even China is luring cash.

Nigerian stocks dipped after Trump's Sunday salvo, but emerging market equities broadly have notched returns of nearly +32% in dollar terms this year, an asset performance second only to gold, according to BofA.
 

(5) A U.N. Climate Summit — COP30 — Happens in Belem, Brazil

The COP30 global climate summit kicks off on Monday in Belem, the Brazilian city symbolically chosen for its rainforest location at the mouth of the Amazon.

It's shaping up to be a highly-contentious few weeks. The diminished set of leaders attending are bemoaning the fracturing of global consensus on climate action, taking swipes at the climate-change-denying U.S. government while trying to assure the world they remain unswerving in their own commitments.

Whether the world buys that is another question. Even host Brazil, trying to drum up $125 billion to protect world rainforests, has just taken the highly controversial decision to begin drilling for oil in the Amazon.

The gathering also marks three decades since global climate negotiations began. Countries have curbed a climb in carbon emissions somewhat, but not enough to prevent what scientists consider extreme climate change in coming decades.
 

Zacks #1 Rank (STRONG BUY) Stocks

I picked 3 large market cap, Zacks long-term VGM A-ranked stocks this week.

(1) HCA Healthcare (HCA Quick QuoteHCA - Free Report) : This is a $471 a share stock, with a market cap of $108B. It is found in the Medical Services industry. There is a Zacks Value score of B, a Zacks Growth score of A, and a Zacks Momentum score of C.
 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

HCA Healthcare is the largest non-governmental operator of acute care hospitals in the United States. Headquartered in Nashville, TN, it operates hospitals and related health care entities. At the end of 2024, the company operated 190 hospitals and approximately 2,400 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding emergency rooms, urgent care centers and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom.

It also operates outpatient health care facilities, which include freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (“ASCs”), freestanding emergency care facilities, urgent care facilities, walk-in clinics, diagnostic and imaging centers, comprehensive rehabilitation and physical therapy centers, radiation and oncology therapy centers, physician practices and various other facilities.

The company operates in two geographically organized groups, the National and American Groups. HCA generated revenues of $70.6 billion in 2024.

1. The National Group (accounted for 27.8% of the overall 2024 revenues) had 55 hospitals located in states like Alaska, California, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia. The American Group (34.8%) has 65 hospitals in states like Colorado, Central Kansas, Louisiana and Texas.

2. Its Atlantic Group (32.8%) included 62 hospitals located in Florida, Georgia, Northern Kansas, Missouri and South Carolina. The company also operates seven hospitals in England that are included in the Corporate and Other group (4.6%).

The company's 180 general, acute care hospitals with 49,114 licensed beds provide a wide range of services to cater to different medical specialties, such as internal medicine, general surgery, cardiology, oncology, neurosurgery, orthopedics and obstetrics as well as diagnostic and emergency services. The general, acute care hospitals also provide outpatient services such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology and physical therapy.

Its six behavioral hospitals with 602 licensed beds offer child, adolescent and adult psychiatric care. It also provides adolescent and adult alcohol and drug abuse treatment and counseling.

(2) General Motors (GM Quick QuoteGM - Free Report) : This is a $69 a share stock, with a market cap of $64.2B. It is found in the Zacks Domestic Auto industry. There is a Zacks Value score of A, a Zacks Growth score of C, and a Zacks Momentum score of D.
 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

One of the world’s largest automakers, General Motors held the largest share of the U.S. auto market at 16.5% in 2024.

Headquartered in Detroit, the auto giant has had a long and checkered history. Founded in 1908, the company rose to dominate the U.S. industry.

However, hit by the financial crisis, General Motors filed for bankruptcy on Jun 1, 2009. Just within 40 days, the firm emerged from bankruptcy. In 2010, the company launched its IPO – the biggest in U.S. history at that time – and has been steadily profitable since then.

From going bankrupt in 2009 to becoming one of the world’s best-run car companies, General Motors has indeed come a long way. The turnaround has been impressive.

The company is stepping up efforts to embrace an electric future and gain a strong foothold in the fast-growing market. The firm’s modular battery platform will aid in the transition to an all-electric portfolio down the road. The major EV offerings include GMC Hummer e-pickup, Cadillac LYRIQ, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Chevrolet Equinox and Blazer EVs among others.

General Motors, along with its strategic partners, produces, sells and services cars, trucks and parts under four core brands — Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. General Motors assembles passenger cars, crossover vehicles, light trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), vans and other vehicles.

GM has four operating segments, namely, General Motors North America (“GMNA”), General Motors International (“GMI”), Cruise and GM Financial.

• The Cruise segment is responsible for the development and commercialization of autonomous vehicle technology
• GM Financial provides retail loan and lease lending across the credit spectrum
• GMNA accounted for 84% of the firm's total sales in 2024, while 
• GMI, Cruise, and GM Financial constituted 7.4%, 0.1% and 8.5%, respectively

(3) The Travelers Companies (TRV Quick QuoteTRV - Free Report) : This is a $276 a share stock, with a market cap of $61.7B. It is found in the Insurance-Property and Casualty industry. There is a Zacks Value score of A, a Zacks Growth score of B, and a Zacks Momentum score of A.
 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Established in 1853 and is based in New York, NY, The Travelers Companies Inc., a holding company, is principally engaged, through its subsidiaries, in providing a wide variety of property and casualty insurance and surety products and services to businesses, organizations and individuals in the United States. and select international markets.

Travelers operates its business through three segments:

1. The Business Insurance segment (51% of 2024 Net written premium) offers a broad array of property and casualty insurance and insurance-related services to its customers, primarily in the United States, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Brazil and throughout other parts of the world as a corporate member of Lloyd’s.

Its products include offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products.

This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial transportation industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, program managers, and specialized retail agents.

2. The Personal Insurance segment (39%) offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals primarily in the United States, as well as in Canada. The company distributes its products primarily through independent agencies and brokers.

3. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment (10%) provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty insurance products and related risk management services to its customers in the United States and certain specialty insurance products in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.
 

Key Global Macro

On Monday, Mainland China’s FDI for OCT had been expected. The prior reading was -10.4%.

On Tuesday, this is a U.S. holiday: Veteran’s Day. The U.S. bond market is closed. 

ADP’s 4-week average Employment Change comes out. The prior reading was weak at 14.25 K.

On Wednesday, the influential Fed Chair candidate Chris Waller speaks.

The Fed’s Paulson, Miran, and Williams speak too.

The OPEC monthly oil market report comes out.

On Thursday, U.S. initial weekly jobless claims come out. A low 227K is consensus. The prior weekly claims reading was 218K.

The U.S. CPI for OCT should come out. The ex-Food & Energy CPI was +3.0% y/y in the prior SEP reading.

On Friday, Euro Area GDP for Q3 comes out. Look for a +1.3% real growth rate to print.

Conclusion

On Nov. 5th, 2025 Zacks Research Director Sheraz Mian supplied his Q3 update.

His four Q3 points:

(1) For the 389 S&P500 members that have reported Q3 results, total earnings are up +14.6% from the same period last year, on +8.3% higher revenues.

83.5% beat EPS estimates. 75.6% beat revenue estimates. The proportion of these 389 index members beating both EPS and revenue estimates is 67.1%.

(2) For the Tech sector, we now have Q3 results from 67.4% of the sector’s market capitalization in the S&P 500 index.

Total earnings for these Tech companies are up +24.8% from the same period last year on +12.6% higher revenues.

92.5% beat EPS estimates and 84.9% beat revenue estimates. This is notably better performance from these Tech companies relative to other recent periods.

(3) With respect to growth, Q3 earnings are expected to be above the year-earlier level for 11 of the 16 Zacks sectors.

We expect double-digit growth for:

• Aerospace (up +76.5%) 
• Tech (+24.7%)
• Finance (+24.4%), and 
• Retail (+15.3%) sectors

(4) For the Magnificent 7 group, Q3 earnings are on track to be up +26.7% from the same period last year, on +17.6% higher revenues.

This would follow the group’s +26.4% earnings growth, on +15.5% revenue growth, in the preceding period.

Enjoy the week, in trading and investing!

John Blank, PhD.
Zacks Chief Equity Strategist and Economist