Tuesday:
Consumer borrowing costs are expected to have fallen by 1.5% in February, according to a Briefing.com survey of economists. Costs showed a surprise jump of 1.8% in January. The consumer credit report from the Federal Reserve is due out at around 2:00 p.m. ET.
Alcoa (AA, Fortune 500), as per usual, is the first Dow component to report quarterly results. The aluminum maker is expected to have lost 57 cents per share, according to analysts surveyed by First Call. Alcoa earned 44 cents per share in the same quarter a year ago. The report is due after the market close.
Wednesday:
The February wholesale inventories report is due in the morning from the Commerce Department. Inventories are expected to have plunged for the sixth consecutive month, falling 0.6% after falling 0.7% in January.
The weekly crude inventories report from the Energy Information Administration is due in the morning.
Passover begins at sundown.
Thursday:
March sales from the nation's retailers are due throughout the month. In February, sales at discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores helped sales overall to rise, following four straight months of declines. This month, investors will be looking to see if the consumer is continuing to hang in despite the recession.
The February trade balance from the Commerce Department is due in the morning. The trade gap is expected to have widened to $36.5 billion in the month from $36 billion in January, a six-year low.
Also on Thursday, the government releases the weekly jobless claims report and the March report on import and export prices.
Friday:
All financial markets are closed for Good Friday. |