Stock futures pointed to a positive start to the week as investors anticipated a flurry of corporate earnings reports. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 60 points, or 0.2%, while S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures both advanced by 0.1%. Market participants are closely following second-quarter earnings announcements, which could potentially push the market to new records in 2024.

With the Dow recently achieving an all-time high above 40,000 and the S&P 500 surging 18% this year, fueled by tech industry giants, the focus now turns to over 40 S&P 500 companies reporting their earnings this week. These results are expected to provide further insight into the overall health and outlook of various sectors.

Amidst the earnings season, traders are also keeping an eye on the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump over the weekend. However, market analysts believe that this event is unlikely to significantly impact markets. Adam Crisafulli, founder of Vital Knowledge, noted that the incident is expected to solidify Trump's status as the clear frontrunner and may not lead to substantial political consequences.

In addition to the earnings reports, the Republican National Convention is set to commence in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday. With Trump leading President Joe Biden in national polls ahead of the November election, investors will be monitoring the convention closely for any policy announcements or indications of potential market influencers.

Last week, the major stock indices displayed a solid performance, driven by encouraging inflation data, which raised expectations of potential rate cuts. The S&P 500 gained 0.9% and recorded its fifth positive week out of the past six. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.3% during the same period, extending its winning streak to six consecutive weeks. The Dow emerged as the top performer, surging 1.6%, its best weekly performance since May 10, as investors demonstrated a growing interest in a wider range of stocks beyond just technology companies.

As earnings season gains momentum, several major players are slated to release their results this week. Goldman Sachs is set to announce its numbers before the opening bell on Monday, followed by Morgan Stanley and Bank of America on Tuesday. Other noteworthy companies releasing their earnings include Johnson & Johnson, United Airlines, and Netflix.

Investors will be closely scrutinizing these reports for signs of economic recovery, insights into consumer behavior, and indications of any potential headwinds for specific industries. The outcome of these earnings announcements has the potential to shape market sentiment in the coming weeks.

Overall, market optimism persists amid the ongoing earnings season and political events. Investors remain eager for clues about the trajectory of the economy, while also monitoring political developments that could impact market dynamics.