<h1>US stocks drift near records as mixed earnings and Fed rate expectations shape market direction this week.</h1> US equities traded near record highs amid mixed corporate earnings and lower Treasury yields after retail results signalled softer consumer spending; upcoming employment and consumer inflation reports were identified as pivotal for Federal Reserve decisions on the timing of interest-rate cuts. Company earnings and forecasts produced divergent stock moves-Hasbro and DuPont beat expectations while Coca-Cola and S&P Global fell-and Paramount's revised takeover terms influenced sector activity alongside record gains in Japan's Nikkei on prospective fiscal measures.