London (CNN Business) 1. Walmart reports: Walmart is set to release earnings before markets open in New York.

Investors will be watching closely to see whether the world's largest retailer managed to avoid the slowdown some of its competitors saw during the crucial holiday quarter.

The company increased its full year guidance when it reported earnings for the third quarter of 2018 in November. But the mood in the retail industry has darkened since then.

Core retail sales dropped 1.7% in December as American shoppers started to worry about their wallets amid market turmoil and the longest government shutdown in US history.

Walmart WMT Yetstock has gained over 7% so far this year to trade near $100.