The Week Ahead: Trump-Xi Summit, Meta AI Event and Costco Earnings in Focus

TLDR

• U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet on September 24, with trade, AI and geopolitical issues expected to feature.
• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is due to speak at the company’s Connect event on Wednesday, with AI expected to be a major topic.
• Costco reports fiscal fourth-quarter earnings Thursday, giving investors another read on consumer spending.
• The UN General Assembly’s high-level week is underway in New York, with the general debate running from September 22 to September 28.
• Investors will also watch U.S. PMI data and speeches from several Federal Reserve officials following last week’s rate increase.

Investors face a busy week of political meetings, economic data, technology events and corporate earnings after a mixed performance for U.S. stocks last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.7% over the previous five sessions, while the S&P 500 edged lower and the Nasdaq finished modestly higher.

Attention now shifts to several events that could influence markets through the end of September.

The Week Ahead: Trump-Xi Summit Takes Center Stage

One of the biggest events is the September 24 meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.

🇺🇸🇨🇳JUST IN: Trump is bringing America’s most powerful AI executives to his state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24.

China accepted the invitation and immediately asked for MORE than half the roughly 100 seats at the table, per NPR.

Here’s who is… pic.twitter.com/6qfEUhH86h

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) September 18, 2026

The leaders are expected to discuss trade, tariffs, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, Iran and access to critical minerals.

Markets will be watching for any agreement to extend the tariff truce reached between the two countries last year.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng have also discussed a possible mechanism for communicating about serious AI incidents.

The summit comes as U.S.-China competition over artificial intelligence remains intense.

The Week Ahead: Meta AI and UN Meetings

Meta Platforms will also be in focus Wednesday when CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks at the company’s Connect conference.

Investors will be watching for updates on Meta’s artificial intelligence strategy and new hardware products.

The event comes as Meta and other major technology companies continue spending heavily on chips, data centers and AI infrastructure.

World leaders are also gathering in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

The UN’s general debate begins September 22 and runs through September 28, with meetings covering issues including conflicts, climate policy and international cooperation.

Developments involving the Middle East will receive particular attention after recent swings in oil prices.

The Week Ahead: Costco Earnings and US Economic Data

Costco will report fiscal fourth-quarter results on Thursday.

#earnings for the week of September 21, 2026https://t.co/hLn2sKQhEY$COST $CBRL $BB $THO $ABVX $DRI $GIS $KBH $MLKN $AZO $WOR $SFIX $FUL $CTAS $PAYX $SCHL $SNX $LGCY $NEOV $AYTU pic.twitter.com/ThDj6F0LQ9

— Earnings Whispers (@eWhispers) September 18, 2026

The warehouse retailer has become an important gauge of household spending as consumers face higher energy and food costs.

Costco previously reported strong demand for discounted gasoline, although higher fuel sales do not always translate into stronger spending inside its stores.

Other companies reporting this week include AutoZone, General Mills, Cracker Barrel, BlackBerry and Darden Restaurants.

Investors will also receive S&P Global’s preliminary U.S. purchasing managers’ indexes for September.

The services PMI is expected to ease to 56.0 from 56.5, while manufacturing is forecast at 53.4 compared with 53.9 previously. Readings above 50 indicate expansion.

Several Federal Reserve officials are scheduled to speak throughout the week following the central bank’s first rate increase in three years.

With the Trump-Xi summit, Meta’s AI event, Costco earnings and fresh economic data all on the calendar, investors have several potential market-moving events to track before the week ends.