Prediction: November 18 will be an important day for the stock market

Artificial intelligence (AI) values, heavily weighted in the S&P500have fueled its direction in recent years. At the start of the AI ​​boom, the direction was clearly bullish, but in 2026 the major index has seen a mix of gains and declines. And the technological side Nasdaq Composite even entered correction territory earlier this month.

Although AI companies continue to report significant growth and talk of strong demand, investors have become cautious. Investors today are more focused on headwinds such as rising inflation and risks such as the possibility that AI revenue opportunities may not meet expectations. And this comes against the backdrop of huge spending on AI infrastructure, with tech giants investing more than $700 billion in construction this year.

Given the centrality of AI, I predict that November 18 will be an important day for the stock market. For two reasons. Let’s zoom in to take a closer look.

Image source: Getty Images.

Optimism about AI

But first, it’s important to talk a little more about what’s happened so far. The S&P 500 has soared over the past three calendar years and extended its rise through 2026 on optimism about the potential of AI. The technology is already driving explosive profit growth for companies that develop it, but it is also poised to increase profits for companies that apply it to their needs. AI has what it takes to make businesses more efficient and more innovative. As a result, AI could ultimately significantly reshape the corporate earnings picture.

Investors have been rushing to get into this space, buying shares of AI chip designers like Nvidia and cloud service providers like Alphabet. These stocks and other tech giants, heavily weighted in the S&P 500, set the tone for the entire market. And it was generally positive for a while.

This year, however, a more difficult economic environment, with higher inflation, has weighed on investors’ appetite for growth-oriented companies. Rising prices and possible interest rate hikes aimed at controlling inflation both represent obstacles for these players. Meanwhile, investors are wondering whether companies spending big on AI chips and data centers will be able to successfully monetize the infrastructure.

All of this has made investors particularly attentive to the messages and actions of major players in the AI ​​sector. And that brings me to my prediction. November 18 could be huge for the stock market due to two events.

Nvidia Earnings Report

First, on November 17, after the market close, AI chip leader Nvidia is expected to release its third-quarter results. The company reported quarter after quarter of record growth and revenue levels and spoke of continued strong demand. Nvidia forecasts revenue of $108 billion for the period and a gross margin of 74%. We might also be on the lookout for feedback on the rollout of Nvidia’s latest platform, Vera Rubin, and the first-ever standalone central processing units (CPUs). These chips could generate a $200 billion revenue opportunity for the company.

Nvidia’s comments could give direction to the stock market in the following trading session on November 18 as the company is the key player in the AI ​​story. Excitement over Anthropic’s IPO could also boost the market that day. CNBC, citing people familiar with the matter, reports that Anthropic will set prices on November 18 and begin trading on November 19.

The AI ​​lab, which could enter the market with a valuation of billions of dollars, will offer investors a new bet on AI. Anthropic, the developer of the popular Claude model, saw its revenue climb more than 1,200% year-over-year in the first nine months of this year to around $33 billion. This IPO could provide overall momentum to the market in the latter part of the week.

Investors should therefore keep their eyes glued to these two events. I predict they will set the tone, and thanks to them, November 18 could be a huge day for the market.