As traders approach another pivotal day for financial markets, a series of crucial economic data releases that could sway market dynamics are expected on Thursday, December 19, 2024. The U.S. economic calendar is packed with high-impact reports, including the latest GDP figures, jobless claims data, existing home sales numbers, and the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index.

Major Economic Events to Watch:

• 8:30 AM ET - GDP (Q3): Forecast 2.8%, Previous 3.0%. This key indicator of economic health measures the annualized change in the inflation-adjusted value of all goods and services produced.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (Dec): Forecast 3.0, Previous -5.5. This index rates the relative level of general business conditions in Philadelphia.

• 8:30 AM ET - Initial Jobless Claims: Forecast 229K, Previous 242K. This report measures the number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time during the past week.

• 10:00 AM ET - Existing Home Sales (Nov): Forecast 4.09M, Previous 3.96M. This report gauges the strength of the U.S. housing market and is a key indicator of overall economic strength.

Other Important Economic Events to Watch:

• 8:30 AM ET - Core PCE Prices (Q3): Forecast 2.10%, Previous 2.80%. This measures changes in the price of goods and services purchased by consumers, excluding food and energy.

• 8:30 AM ET - GDP Price Index (Q3): Forecast 1.9%, Previous 2.5%. This index measures the annualized change in the price of all goods and services included in gross domestic product.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Employment (Dec): Previous 8.6. This is the employment component of the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index.

• 8:30 AM ET - Continuing Jobless Claims: Forecast 1,890K, Previous 1,886K. This measures the number of unemployed individuals who qualify for unemployment insurance benefits.

• 10:00 AM ET - Existing Home Sales (MoM) (Nov): Previous 3.4%. This shows the change in the number of existing residential buildings sold during the previous month.

• 4:00 PM ET - TIC Net Long-Term Transactions (Oct): Previous 216.1B. This measures the difference in value between foreign long-term securities purchased by U.S. citizens and U.S. long-term securities purchased by foreigners.

• 4:30 PM ET - Fed's Balance Sheet (Dec 15): Previous 6,897B. This statement lists the assets and liabilities of the Federal Reserve System.

• 4:30 PM ET - Reserve Balances with Federal Reserve Banks : Previous 3.274T. This shows the amount of money that depository institutions maintain in their accounts at regional Federal Reserve Banks.

Other Economic Events to Watch:

• 8:30 AM ET - Real Consumer Spending (Q3): Forecast 3.5%, Previous 2.8%. This measures the inflation-adjusted amount of money spent by households in the U.S. economy.

• 8:30 AM ET - GDP Sales (Q3): Forecast 3.0%, Previous 1.9%.

• 8:30 AM ET - PCE Prices (Q3): Forecast 1.5%, Previous 2.5%. This measures changes in the price of goods and services purchased by consumers.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Business Conditions (Dec): Previous 56.6. This survey questions manufacturers on general business conditions in the Philadelphia region.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed New Orders (Dec): Previous 8.9. This component of the Philadelphia Fed Index focuses on new orders received by manufacturers.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Prices Paid (Dec): Previous 26.60. This measures the change in the price of goods paid by manufacturers in the Philadelphia region.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Capex Index (Dec): Previous 24.90. This component of the Philadelphia Fed Index focuses on capital expenditures by manufacturers.

• 8:30 AM ET - Corporate Profits (Q3): Forecast 0.0%, Previous 3.5%. This measures the net current-production income of organizations treated as corporations in the National Income and Product Accounts.

• 8:30 AM ET - Jobless Claims 4-Week Avg.: Previous 224.25K. This provides a smoother measure of jobless claims by averaging the past four weeks of data.

• 10:00 AM ET - US Leading Index (Nov): Forecast -0.1%, Previous -0.4%. This index is designed to signal peaks and troughs in the business cycle.

• 10:30 AM ET - Natural Gas Storage: Previous -190B. This measures the change in the number of cubic feet of natural gas held in underground storage.

• 11:00 AM ET - KC Fed Manufacturing Index (Dec): Previous -4. This survey provides information on current manufacturing activity in the Tenth Federal Reserve District.

• 11:00 AM ET - KC Fed Composite Index (Dec): Previous -2. This index provides a broader view of economic activity in the Tenth Federal Reserve District.

• 11:30 AM ET - 4-Week Bill Auction: Previous 4.240%. This represents the rate on the 4-week Treasury Bill being auctioned.

• 11:30 AM ET - 8-Week Bill Auction: Previous 4.260%. This represents the rate on the 8-week Treasury Bill being auctioned.

• 4:00 PM ET - TIC Net Long-Term Transactions including Swaps (Oct): Previous 216.10B. This measures international financial flows, including swaps.

• 4:00 PM ET - Overall Net Capital Flow (Oct): Previous 398.40B. This indicator shows the sum of various components of international financial flows.

• 4:00 PM ET - Foreign Buying, T-bonds (Oct): Previous 77.00B. This measures net purchases of U.S. treasury bonds and notes by major foreign sectors.

For further information and the latest updates, please refer to our Economic Calendar, here .

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