Traders will consider a flood of Fed speeches for rate-hike clues ahead of Friday's nonfarm payrolls report
Picking up steam after the Thanksgiving holiday, the week ahead will include reports on auto sales and manufacturing, capped off by the November nonfarm payrolls report on Friday. Additionally, a number of speeches from Federal Reserve officials -- including two from Fed Chair Janet Yellen -- will be carefully examined for clues as to whether a rate hike in December is as certain as many believe.
Companies reporting earnings over the course of the week include many retailers, which have so far suffered some ugly results during this earnings season. While it may be rough sledding for some of these names next week, the good news is that the week following Thanksgiving typically yields positive returns across the market.
Below is a brief list of some key market events scheduled for the upcoming week. All earnings dates listed below are tentative and subject to change. Please check with each company's respective website for official reporting dates.
Monday, 11/30
The week begins with the Chicago purchasing managers manufacturing index (PMI), the Dallas Fed's manufacturing index, and pending home sales data. Infoblox (BLOX), NQ Mobile (NQ), and Shoe Carnival (SCVL) will report quarterly earnings.
Tuesday, 12/1
The day's docket includes Markit's purchasing managers manufacturing index (PMI), the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) manufacturing index, construction spending, and motor vehicle sales stats. Chicago Fed President Charles Evans will give a speech on the economy in the afternoon. Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Bob Evans (BOBE) will step into the earnings booth.
Wednesday, 12/2
ADP's private-sector payrolls report is due out in the morning, along with third-quarter productivity and labor costs and the weekly report on crude inventories.The Fed's Beige Book will be released in the afternoon, with speeches also slated from Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart and San Francisco Fed President John Williams. Additionally, Fed Chair Janet Yellen will speak shortly after midday at the Economic Club of Washington.
A slightly busier day for earnings will include the latest numbers from Aeropostale (ARO), Avago Technologies (AVGO), G-III Apparel (GIII), Pacific Sunwear (PSUN), and Synopsys (SNPS).
Thursday, 12/3
Fed Chair Yellen will speak again on Thursday morning, testifying before the Joint Economic Committee in Washington. Weekly jobless claims, factory orders, and the ISM non-manufacturing index are also on tap, while Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester and Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer have speeches scheduled.
Ambarella (AMBA), Barnes & Noble (BKS), Dollar General (DG), Five Below (FIVE), Kroger (KR), Lands' End (LE), Medtronic (MDT), OmniVision (OVTI), Ulta Salon (ULTA), and Zumiez (ZUMZ) will all hit the earnings confessional.
Friday, 12/4
The Labor Department's nonfarm payrolls report for November caps off the week on Friday, and international trade data is also due out. A trio of regional Fed officials will speak, including James Bullard of St. Louis, Patrick Harker of Philadelphia, and Narayana Kocherlakota of Minneapolis.
Big Lots (BIG), Genesco (GCO), and Hovnanian (HOV) are among the few companies set to report earnings at the end of the week.