Midterms, Jobs Data, and Apple Earnings Test Wall Street This Week: Will Stocks Hold?

Wall Street faces U.S. midterm elections on Tuesday, Friday’s October nonfarm payrolls report and Apple’s earnings after Monday’s close; economists polled by Dow Jones expect the payrolls report to show 55,000 jobs added. The Nasdaq Composite fell 2% last week and had its worst month since March 2025. The Federal Reserve held rates last week, though two of its 12 voters backed a hike; a strong jobs report could lift rate-hike odds. CME FedWatch, a futures-based rate tracker, had priced an 84% chance of a December hike before the October decision. Democrats are expected to win the House, while Senate control remains uncertain.