• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Features5 things

The Fed, and reports from Nike and Oracle — 5 things to watch for this week

By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 15, 2015, 5:01 PM ET
Janet Yellen
Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen Photograph by Susan Walsh — AP

This week brings an important Fed policy meeting, earnings from Oracle (ORCL), Nike (NKE) and FedEx (FDX), and from Lennar (LEN), the second-largest U.S. homebuilder by the number of homes sold.

Lennar is expected to report a drop in quarterly profit, hurt by falling housing demand in Texas, one of its largest markets. Also, look out for results from upscale jeweler Tiffany (TIF), which cut its full-year profit forecast in January, citing weak demand during the holiday shopping season.

Here’s what else you need to watch out for this week.

1. The Fed’s ‘patient’

This week, markets will focus on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s statement on Wednesday, where it is expected to change its language to remove the word “patient,” suggesting a rate hike later in the spring or summer.

The recent selling in stocks could continue and interest rates should head a bit higher, although foreign buying of safe-haven debt could keep those long-dated rates somewhat tamped down, even if it keeps helping the dollar.

2. Software update

Oracle, the world’s biggest database software company, is expected to report a 2% rise in third-quarter profit when the company reports results on Tuesday afternoon.

Oracle continues to make the difficult transition to selling its software over the cloud rather than installing it on customers’ machines. Oracle may also give valuable insight into the state of enterprise technology spending.

3. FedEx delivers

Package delivery company FedEx is expected to post a higher third-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by lower fuel prices.

Investors will be looking for an update on the company’s 2016 forecast and for comments on whether lower fuel prices can cause a greater year-over-year reduction in fuel surcharge revenue over the next few quarters.
[fortune-brightcove videoid=4066655983001]

4. Nike kicks on

On Thursday, it’s Nike’s turn to report results.

The world’s largest footwear retailer is expected to report third-quarter profit and revenue above analysts’ estimates, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine.

Nike’s performance is expected to be driven by strong sales of its running and basketball shoes, particularly the Flyknit and Jordan series, as well as continued demand for athletic apparel. However, analysts believe worries about slowing growth in future orders, an indicator of demand, in Western Europe and emerging markets may be exacerbated by the strong dollar. Investors will look for initial 2015 forecast and comments about the overall industry when Nike reports.

5. What’s next for the Fed?

Chicago Fed President Charles Evans speaks on a panel with Alan Greenspan at the Brookings Institute on Friday.

Evans, a policy dove, is a voting member on the FOMC, and his views will be interesting to parse, coming so soon after the Fed policy meeting, where the Fed is expected to start laying the groundwork for a rate hike by dropping the word “patient” from its guidance. Evans will likely be against this, so his views will be timely.

On the same day, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart speaks on monetary policy and the economic outlook before the Georgia Law Review Symposium.
[fortune-brightcove videoid=4107832989001]

About the Authors
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Fortune Editors
By Fortune Editors
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Features

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Features

Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf
MagazineDefense
Inside Anduril: Meet the quiet engineer-CEO building America’s $31 billion weapons startup
By Allie GarfinkleMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
MagazineData centers
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
MagazineAmerican Express
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
By Shawn TullyMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
Photo of Marc Benioff
Magazinecommunication
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff turned his earnings call into a vodcast. Why other Fortune 500 CEOs might follow
By Rachel VentrescaMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
Intel Chief Exec, Lip-Bu Tan, on stage
EuropeIntel
Intel’s share price just blew the doors off. One man thinks he knows the reason why
By Kamal AhmedApril 27, 2026
20 days ago
Who owns ideas in the AI age?
MagazinePublishing
Who owns ideas in the AI age?
By Francesca CassidyApril 8, 2026
1 month ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
15 hours ago
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
4 days ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
19 hours ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
15 hours ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
5 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.