Home Depot will report fiscal second-quarter results before the U.S. market opens on Tuesday, offering investors the first detailed look at how the home-improvement chain is coping with a stalled housing market, high interest rates and the 145% tariff on Chinese goods that took effect in April. Analysts surveyed by LSEG expect revenue to increase 5.1% from a year earlier after a rare earnings miss last quarter—the company’s first in five years. Options traders are positioning for volatility: an Aug. 22 weekly $400 straddle is pricing in a move of roughly 4.5%. Equity analysts say the call will be scrutinised for signs that professional-contractor demand—buoyant in categories such as concrete, gypsum and siding—can offset softer do-it-yourself spending as consumers focus on essentials. Industry data underline the headwinds. Building-material and garden-supply sales fell at least 4% year on year in each of the past three months, according to the National Retail Federation, while high mortgage rates continue to suppress home turnover. Home Depot sources more than half its merchandise within North America and has pledged not to raise prices broadly because of tariffs, but it has warned that some imported items may be discontinued. Rival Lowe’s will release results on Wednesday, giving a fuller picture of the sector. The retailers’ updates arrive alongside fresh U.S. housing-starts and building-permits data, providing a timely gauge of whether the long- awaited recovery in residential construction is finally taking hold.