For many investors, earnings season represents the pinnacle of each quarter. It marks the six-week period when a majority of S&P 500 companies lift the proverbial hood on their operating results, providing a barometer for Wall Street and investors to gauge the health of corporate America.

Nvidia NVDA 2.85% reported record sales and strong guidance Wednesday, helping soothe jitters about an artificial intelligence bubble that have reverberated in markets for the last week.