Market Volatility and Earnings Reports Weigh on Investor Anxiety

Investors had multiple concerns this week, including inflation and the pause in interest rates by the Federal Reserve. The Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) rose 10.5% in 2026, with a significant portion of that gain coming in July.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Amazon (AMZN) reported earnings, showing investors are willing to reward companies with strong results and free cash flow. However, chip stocks like Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) faced challenges, down 15% in July.

Broadcom Inc. (AVGO), a key player in AI infrastructure, saw its stock rise due to Alphabet's (GOOGL) earnings report. Meta Platforms' (META) earnings were problematic, with concerns over AI spending and monetization plans.