The Business News Week Ahead

One of the busiest weeks of the year will be highlighted on Wednesday with the FOMC announcement where expectations are slightly tilted, and only slightly, toward a 25 basis point rate cut. No changes are expected from the Bank of Japan nor from the Bank of Canada, also both on Wednesday. Likewise posted on Wednesday will be GDP data out of the US where, like US employment data on Friday, moderation is the general expectation. Eurozone GDP on Thursday is also expected to moderate with barely any growth at all the consensus for the quarterly rate. Following the prior week's run of PMIs, Chinese editions will be posted at midweek amid flat expectations here also. Inflation data will also be heavy in the week including quarterly consumer prices out of Australia on Tuesday and monthly consumer prices out of Germany on Wednesday. Core inflation in the US will be posted Thursday amid wide expectations for little or no improvement. Mixed in the week's run will be consumer confidence out of the US, industrial production out of Japan, and CIPS/PMI manufacturing data from the UK.