The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that Walmart and Home Depot are posting earnings this week, with their results seen as offering a snapshot on how U.S. consumers are holding up after months of elevated interest rates. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that the end of the month brings earnings from Nvidia, whose shares are up 110 per cent this year even after a recent sell-off. The Federal Reserve's annual Jackson Hole gathering, set for Aug. 22 to 24, will give policy-makers another chance to fine-tune their monetary policy message before their September meeting. Charles Lemonides, head of hedge fund ValueWorks, believes the recent volatility is a healthy correction during an otherwise strong bull market, and he initiated a position in Amazon to take advantage of its weakness. The U.S. presidential race is also likely to increase uncertainty. Democrat Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump 42 per cent to 37 per cent in the race for the Nov. 5 presidential election, according to an Ipsos poll Thursday. With nearly three months until the Nov. 5 vote, investors are braced for plenty of additional twists and turns in an election year that has already been one of the most dramatic in recent memory.