As traders approach another important day for the financial markets, Thursday, January 16, 2025, is set to deliver a series of important economic data releases that may change market dynamics. The spotlight is on retail sales figures, initial jobless claims, and the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index, all of which have the potential to influence investor sentiment and market direction.

Key Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET – Retail Sales (Forecast: 0.6%, Previous: 0.7%): A key indicator of consumer spending and overall economic activity.

• 8:30 AM ET – Core Retail Sales (Forecast: 0.5%, Previous: 0.2%): Measured retail sales outside of automobiles, providing insight into underlying consumer demand.

• 8:30 AM ET – Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (Forecast: -5.2, Previous: -16.4): Measured manufacturing conditions in the Philadelphia region.

• 8:30 AM ET – Initial Jobless Claims (Forecast: 210K, Previous: 201K): Provides the first measure of the health of the labor market.

Other Important Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET – Export Price Index (Forecast: 0.2%, Previous: 0.0%): Tracks changes in the price of US export goods.

• 8:30 AM ET – Import Price Index (Forecast: -0.1%, Previous: 0.1%): Measures changes in the prices of imported goods and services.

• 8:30 AM ET – Philly Fed Employment (Previous: 6.6): The employment portion of the Philadelphia Fed index.

• 8:30 AM ET – Retail Control (Previous: 0.4%): A measure of retail sales used to calculate GDP.

• 8:30 AM ET – Continued Jobless Claims (Forecast: 1,870K, Previous: 1,867K): Indicates the number of unemployed individuals eligible for benefits.

• 10:00 AM ET – Retail Inventories Ex Auto (Forecast: 0.6%, Previous: 0.1%): Measured changes in retail inventory levels excluding automobiles.

• 10:00 AM ET – Business Inventories (Forecast: 0.1%, Previous: 0.1%): Shows changes in the total amount of inventories held by manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

• 11:00 AM ET – FOMC Member Williams Speaks: Potential views on the direction of monetary policy.

• 1:00 PM ET – Atlanta Fed GDPNow (Forecast: 2.7%, Previous: 2.7%): Provides a running estimate of real GDP growth for the current quarter.

• 4:30 PM ET – Reserve balances at the Federal Reserve (Previous: 3.332T): Shows the amount of money deposit institutions maintain at the Federal Reserve Banks.

• 4:30 PM ET – Fed Balance Sheet (Previous: 6,854B): Reveals the assets and liabilities of the Federal Reserve System.

Other Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET – Retail Sales Ex Gas/Autos (Previous: 0.2%): Retail sales excluding the volatile component.

• 8:30 AM ET – Philly Fed Business Conditions (Prev: 30.7): Measured general business conditions in the Philadelphia region.

• 8:30 AM ET – Philly Fed New Orders (Previous: -4.3): Indicates new orders received by manufacturers in the Philadelphia area.

• 8:30 AM ET – Philly Fed Rates Paid (Previous: 31.20): Measured inflationary pressures in the manufacturing sector.

• 8:30 AM ET – Philly Fed Capex Index (Previous: 18.80): Measures capital spending plans in the Philadelphia region.

• 8:30 AM ET – Retail Sales (Previous: 3.80%): Year-over-year change in retail sales.

• 8:30 AM ET – Jobless Claims 4-Week Avg. (Previously: 213.00K): Adjusted measure of initial jobless claims.

• 8:30 AM ET – Export Price Index (Previous: 0.8%): Year-over-year change in export prices.

• 8:30 AM ET – Import Price Index (Previous: 1.3%): Year-over-year change in import prices.

• 10:00 AM ET – NAHB Housing Market Index (Forecast: 45, Previous: 46): Gauges homebuilder sentiment.

• 10:30 AM ET – Natural Gas Storage (Forecast: -260B, Previous: -40B): Weekly change in inventories.

• 11:30 AM ET – 4-Week Bill Auction (Previous: 4.245%): Results of the short-term Treasury debt auction.

• 11:30 AM ET – 8-Week Bill Auction (Previous: 4.240%): Results of the short-term Treasury debt auction.

For more information and latest updates, please see our Economic Calendar, HERE.

This article was created with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.