The action across Wall Street could slow some during the last trading week before Christmas, but there should be enough economic data and important earnings releases to hold investors' attention. Most notably, a number of reports on the housing sector are set for release, as well as the final reading for third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) on Thursday. On the earnings front, the main highlight is a quarterly report from blue chip Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), while semiconductor issue Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) and shipping concern FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) will also report.
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.
On Monday, Dec. 18, the economic schedule features just the NAHB housing market index. The earnings calendar is bare.
Tuesday, Dec. 19, brings housing starts and a speech from Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari. Also, Carnival (CCL), Darden Restaurants (DRI), FedEx (FDX), Micron Technology (MU), and Red Hat (RHT) will report earnings.
For Wednesday, Dec. 20, existing home sales and weekly crude inventories will be released. For earnings, Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), BlackBerry (BB), General Mills (GIS), and Winnebago (WGO) will step into the spotlight.
Things pick up on Thursday, Dec. 21. The final reading on third-quarter GDP will be released, as well as the Philadelphia Fed business outlook survey and jobless claims. Nike (NKE), Accenture (ACN), CarMax (KMX), Cintas (CTAS), Conagra Brands (CAG), and Finish Line (FINL) are the companies that'll report earnings.
Durable goods orders, personal income and outlays, new home sales, and the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment survey all come out on Friday, Dec. 22. No earnings will be released.