Tech Earnings to Test Markets as US Midterms Near

Major U.S. technology companies are set to report quarterly earnings in the coming days, a wave of results that will draw close scrutiny from investors and arrive just ahead of the country's midterm elections. The reports will show how the sector is performing amid rising interest rates and concerns about a possible economic slowdown. Because technology firms carry great weight in U.S. stock markets, their results can move share prices well beyond the industry itself. Investors will also watch whether spending on cloud computing and digital advertising remains strong. Those two areas drive much of the profit at the largest tech companies. The timing matters politically as well. The midterms, set for November, will decide control of Congress and shape the direction of economic policy. Strong or weak earnings could influence how voters and markets view the economy in the final stretch before election day.