The major indices are little changed on a big day for earnings. About a third of the S&P 500 companies post results this week. Microsoft (MSFT), General Electric (GE), Starbucks (SBUX), and Verizon Communications (VZ) are among Tuesday’s reporters, followed by Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB) and Tesla (TSLA) on Wednesday.

Wild swings resumed in heavily shorted stocks, including GameStop (GME) and AMC Entertainment (AMC), as retail investors bet against short-selling hedge funds.

The Dow and Nasdaq are up 0.10% and 0.07%, respectively. The S&P 500 is flat. Communication Services is the best performing sector, with Facebook (FB) leading up 1.68%.

Conference Confidence index ticked up, beating consensus.

• Headline 89.3
• Estimate 89
• December 87.1

Expectations are better in most categories, while present situation decreased. According to Senior Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board, Lynn Franco, COVID-19 is still weighing on consumers present-day conditions, but they see conditions improving soon.

January Richmond Fed Manufacturing came a bit softer. Shipments, new orders, and inventories came weaker, but still expanding. Employment stronger and well-off during depths of crisis.