Schedule for Week of August 15, 2021

The key reports this week are July Housing Starts and Retail sales.

For manufacturing, the Industrial Production report will be released.

The BLS will release the preliminary employment benchmark revision.

—– Monday, August 16th —–

8:30 AM: The New York Fed Empire State manufacturing survey for August. The consensus is for a reading of 29.0, down from 43.0.

—– Tuesday, August 17th —–

Retail Sales8:30 AM: Retail sales for July is scheduled to be released.  The consensus is for 0.2% decrease in retail sales.

This graph shows retail sales since 1992. This is monthly retail sales and food service, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline)

Industrial Production9:15 AM: The Fed will release Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization for July.

This graph shows industrial production since 1967.

The consensus is for a 0.5% increase in Industrial Production, and for Capacity Utilization to increase to 75.7%.

10:00 AM: The August NAHB homebuilder survey. The consensus is for a reading of 80, unchanged from 80. Any number above 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.

12:00 PM: MBA Q2 National Delinquency Survey (expected)

1:30 PM: Fed Chair Powell speaks: Conversation with the Chair: A Virtual Teacher Town Hall Meeting

—– Wednesday, August 18th —–

7:00 AM ET: The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) will release the results for the mortgage purchase applications index.

Total Housing Starts and Single Family Housing Starts8:30 AM ET: Housing Starts for July.

This graph shows single and total housing starts since 1968.

The consensus is for 1.602 million SAAR, down from 1.643 million SAAR in June.

10:00 AM: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release the preliminary estimate of the upcoming annual benchmark revision.

During the day: The AIA’s Architecture Billings Index for July (a leading indicator for commercial real estate).

2:00 PM: FOMC Minutes, July 27-28, 2021

—– Thursday, August 19th —–

8:30 AM: The initial weekly unemployment claims report will be released.  The consensus is for a decrease to 360 thousand from 375 thousand last week.

8:30 AM: the Philly Fed manufacturing survey for August. The consensus is for a reading of 25.0, up from 21.9.

—– Friday, August 20th —–

10:00 AM: State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) for July 2021