Thursday's trading: 5 things to know

Investors will also be closely watching results of the Fed's bank stress tests as well as earnings reports including FedEx and Darden Restaurants

Here are the key events taking place on Thursday that could impact trading.

POWELL TAKE-TWO: Fed Chairman Jerome Powell returns to Capitol Hill to testify before the House Financial Services Committee as part of his regular, semi-annual update on monetary policy. On Wednesday, Powell appeared before the Senate Banking Committee. Powell pledged that Fed officials will continue to raise interest rates until they see "compelling evidence" that inflation is starting to cool off from the current 40-year high. 

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Jerome Powell

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks to the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, as he presents the Monetary Policy Report to the committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP Newsroom)

POWELL PROMISES THE FED IS 'STRONGLY COMMITTED' TO FIGHTING INFLATION WITH MORE RATE HIKES

BANK STRESS TESTS: The Fed will also publish the results of its annual stress tests of the nations' largest banks, which examines how their portfolios would perform under a hypothetical market downturn.  

Federal reserve

Pedestrians walk past the Federal Reserve Building in Washington, D.C. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)

JOBLESS CLAIMS: The Labor Department is out with its count of new claims for unemployment benefits for last week. Expectations are for 227,000, little changed from 229,000 the previous week, holding slightly above pre-pandemic levels. Continuing claims, which track the total number of workers collecting unemployment benefits, are anticipated to inch higher for a third week, to 1.315 million, up from a 52-year low and signaling an exceptionally tight labor market.

OIL PRICES FALL MORE THAN 2% EXTENDING LOSSES

S&P GLOBAL REPORTS: Readings are due on its flash manufacturing and services reports for June. Watch for manufacturing activity to fall one point to 56.0. Services sector activity is expected to edge up to 53.5. A reading above 50 indicates an expanding sector.

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EARNINGS REPORTS: Quarterly results will ramp up on Thursday with Accenture, Darden Restaurants, FactSet Research Systems and Rite Aid before the market opens. Meanwhile, BlackBerry, FedEx and Smith & Wesson Brands will take the spotlight after the bell. 

Olive Garden restaurant store front

Darden Restaurant's Olive Garden store front. (iStock)